Precious Cargo
by calypsosun
Summary: Orianna had a plan, and it was simple and uncomplicated. But the pirates who rescued her made sure to change all that, especially Tavis. Handsome but coldly distant, he was set to change her destiny.
1. The start of a journey

It's been two years since i started the story and I'm finally starting to write it again. I know where the story is going but I got the stage where I couldn't connect all the details together and I also realised that the romance needed to be more...romantic, so now I am in the process of rewriting the story. So far I have converged three chapters into one and i'm continuing with the rest. Please R&R, especially in regards to spelling or any loose ends. Bye...

* * *

The clouds overhead were now rumbling into life

The clouds overhead were now rumbling into life. Each moment brought more darkness to the evening sky and the arrival of the storm was hurried by the bitter gust from the south.

The Royal Avenue, a small ship when compared to other passenger vessels, was now sensing what was soon to come. Waves that were once gentle and subdued were becoming violent and reckless as they thrashed up against the boats sides, causing it to rock softly side to side.

"Excuse me, miss," a weary male voice called out. "You should start heading down below deck. The storm seems to be in quite a rush to move over the ocean and unfortunately we're right in the middle of its path," he warned.

Pulled away from her thoughts by the concern in the man's voice, Orianna turned and found none other than the ships Captain, Mr Helm. Standing at the entrance of the stairwell with one hand holding his cap firmly on his grey hair and a shabby tobacco pipe sitting on his bottom lip, he looked almost relaxed at the prospect of facing such a turn of the weather.

"I guess you're right," she agreed, finally admitting defeat. "This is the first time I have been to sea. Seeing the clouds rolling over us is amazing but it seems to be worse than the storms on land…how bad will it get?"

With suddenly attentive eyes, the Captain looked out at the heaving sea then up to the now obscure horizon. Sucking twice at the pipe between his lips he shrugged flatly. "With a storm like this, we can only really hope that once it finishes we will still be floating".

Although not one for dramatics, Orianna couldn't stop the surprised expression that easily showed her fear. "Is it really that serious?"

Mr Helm suddenly realised the thoughtless slip of his tongue and quickly set about soothing the young lady's worry. With a sincere smile, he shook his head.

"You really must excuse me m'dear, I'm quite fond of exaggeration. Years of sailing this open water, seeing nothing more than a horizon and wave after wave, tends to make a man used to making molehills into mountains just to create a bit of excitement.

"If anything, this old girl needs a good storm to break her in…bring her back to life. Only a few fractures and minor cracks are to be expected. It's the delay occurring afterwards, while she gets repaired, that you have to worry about."

Taking in this bit of information, Orianna felt a sense of unease. Delay was not something she needed; the more time she spent away from home, the more her father would worry.

At the thought of her father, her chest tightened; memories were her worst enemy, always threatening to make her turn around and run back to safety. Although only being onboard the Royal Avenue for a week, Orianna was already feeling homesick.

Her once small and sheltered life was firmly planted in a small village called Hinton. It was your average small town; everyone living in each other's hair, as the saying goes. This usually would not be such a bad thing, but in her case, it was. Since the _'incident'_ with her mother a few years back, the community consequently classified her father and herself as unwanted outsiders.

Everywhere they went, the gossip and condemning looks followed close behind. Although most of Orianna's childhood was spent trying to prove herself to those around her, never stepping a foot wrong, the townsfolk still branded her an outcast, scaring every friend she had away with, '_it_ _could be you next'_ type stories.

However, although any sane person would ask '_why would anyone miss that_?' the reason was simple. She didn't know anything better.

Apart from the spiteful people, it was still her home. Memories of her family in better times, coupled with the images of the lush, sweeping lands were abundant enough to keep her attached. When she brazenly left to find answers about her mother's disappearance, Orianna became instantly vulnerable and out of place here, all alone.

Taking one last wishful look at the sea, she decided to follow the captain's instructions and went back, below deck. While Orianna walked down the stairs, she became acutely aware of the growling sensation in her belly.

Not one to ignore food, she hastily skimmed across the never-ending corridors until she found the dining cabin.

Biting her lip, she tried remembering her agenda. If they were delayed, she would have to alter it to accommodate her current situation…and that was the last thing she wanted to do. The first thing she had planned to do was to make her way to the city of Evatus. It was a large kingdom that had a stable monarchy and a '_if you don't bother me, I won't bother you_' approach to politics.

From the information she and her father had gathered, Orianna marked it down as a place of interest. Not only was it such a secretive place that only one geography book actually mentioned, but within it was situated a small village known as Idala.

It was from what she could tell, a secluded area of many questions and very little answers. This place, which was as far from Hinton as possible, was the best lead her father had discovered in many years.

Even if she came back empty handed, she would know that she had tried. So now, with the threat of delay, Orianna feared the worst. The more she fell behind, the less information she had a chance of finding.

* * *

Upon entering the room, she was hit with the smell of comfort food…nothing could quell sadness as good as a mouth-watering delight. As always, she checked who the other occupants were and was thankful only a handful lingered, each tucking into their own respective meals. Orianna always avoided crowds, especially on an empty stomach. The room itself was impressive in its own right and she took her time studying it as she walked towards the food cart. Although not a very big room, it still managed to hold six small oaken tables comfortably.

The walls were a bland shade of white and near the far end of the room was a small, comfortable settee, which she usually took advantage of when not occupied. The thing that most caught people's attention in the room, though, was the collection of curious paintings. A single row of antique portraits ran across each of the walls in a complete revolve.

Every time she came into the room, she always had the urge to go closer and study them, but always found a distraction in food or conversation. '_But not this time,_' she thought, and ignoring the appetizing buffet across the room, she walked over to wall on her left.

The first handful of the oil paintings depicted the expected array of naval captains dressed to the nines in their blue uniforms and customary caps. Orianna smiled as she glided past them; there was something in the way they held themselves, so proper and stiff.

Among them was something just a little bit different, so much so that it caught her attention enough to make her stop.

Like the paintings before it, it depicted another naval man, but instead of being on his ship surrounded by thundering clouds and heaving seas, it merely showed him sitting alone in a dim lit room with his head hung down looking at his clasped hands. Although his breast was decorated with a single row of honourable medallions, the material itself was worn out and frayed. This wasn't the distinguished or fierce man Orianna expected to see. Stepping closer, she searched the painting for an explanation but instead her eyes were drawn to a silver fragment lying on the floor opposite the man.

It looked so out of place with the rest of the picture since not only was it vivid, but it was reflective. Orianna was taken aback since it looked so very, very real…and so very familiar.

Leaning in a bit closer to the painting, she was about to reach out and run her fingers over the figure the silver mirror, but before she had a chance to, an errand boy hurriedly strode into the room. The suddenness of his appearance and his obvious state of urgency instantly gained him the room's curious attention.

In the span of two minutes, it was revealed to the passengers that due to the volatility of the storm, it was mandatory that they be safely in their cabins before the hour was out. In his youthful voice, the young boy persuasively argued that no one was to exit their cabins until the storm was well and truly over and to make sure of this, the ships stewards would carry out a search of the hallways during the night.

When none of the passengers raised any objections or doubts, the boy politely but hurriedly took his leave with a quick, but respectful bow.

With the intensity of the chatter around her, Orianna's mind was distracted from her earlier activity. Although she was rational and sensible, she was also prone to the feeling of panic and with the people around her rushing to finish their food or collect their possessions and leave, she was left with no choice but to do the same.

With the mirror out of mind, but not forgotten, she hurriedly strode to the buffet table, collecting a gleaming white ceramic plate from the stack on her way.

Orianna relished in the delicacies she was presented with. There were platters of chicken, beef, ham and pork, along with a whole section dedicated to sweet pastries, cream filled buns and many more sickly sweet delights that filled her with a happiness she couldn't describe.

Finally deciding on a cream filled pastry with an assortment of raspberries and strawberries on the side, she was just about to pick up a fork from the tray when, with a sudden jolt, the boat dipped precariously to one side.

The rule of gravity almost sent her flying heavily into the nearest wall, but instead, and with a sudden rush of relief, she was caught by something. Slowly prying her eyes open one at a time, she noticed a pair of surprisingly strong arms gently snaked around her waist. Those arms, she realized with disbelief, were the only things between her face and the floor only a breath away.

With gratitude filling her throat, the notion of where she was or who was holding her wasn't the first thought to click into her mind. A few scant seconds was enough to rectify that.

Trying to appear calm and dignified while letting the stranger pull her back to her feet, Orianna hastily made sure to create a respectable distance between them once his grasp left her sides.

Mortification burned her cheeks like fire and she refused to meet his gaze, but somehow she managed a shaky, "thank you," in return.

"You know, you could look me in the face when you say that. There is no need to be embarrassed about what just happened. If I didn't catch you, you would be peeling yourself off the wall right now." The man's voice caught Orianna's attention immediately. She didn't expect him to be so calm and especially, to make light of her embarrassment.

With a frustrated sigh at her own awkwardness, she ignored her flushed cheeks and lifted her face to give the man a sincere smile. After all, he had just saved her from a painful alternative.

When her wary blue eyes met his steely grey, she found herself oddly fascinated by the colour. Usually she wouldn't notice something so insignificant, but something about them caught her attention.

At first glance, they looked normal enough, but now that Orianna looked closer, they appeared to be a strange concoction of silvery grey flecks and oddly enough, the lightest blue she had ever seen.

She continued to study his eyes before turning her attention the rest of his face, not a thought occurred in her mind of what she was doing, or how unusual it was.

He was strangely handsome, even she had to admit it as her eyes took in his looks; his features seemed to match each other, dark, dishevelled hair and olive skin that was darkened by the sun. It was an unusual look, rare in her homeland and especially in her village; the majority of men, even farmers, were fair in their features.

A slight cough brought Orianna back in focus. She immediately cringed at the horrifying realization that she was openly staring at the man before her. She wanted to slap herself for her foolishness….why couldn't she learn to behave as a proper lady.

Her lips started to mutter an apology as she physically took a step back in the hope that the distance would let her mind think more clearly. She had never seen the man before and yet she was acting like foolish young lass. Men like him didn't even notice women like herself, and they certainly didn't take too kindly to being stared at like a statue. With these sobering thoughts she found her spine return and she began the first few words of explanation but was cut off by a growing smirk on the mans face.

Stuttering to a silence, she became unmistakably aware that she was being laughed at. With a look of astonishment, she listened in unnatural calm as he offhandedly remarked that she was not his type.

She was silent for a moment, her mind adjusting to the insult before her wounded and offended pride took over.

"Excuse me?"

His eyes danced with open amusement. "Do I really need to repeat myself, I thought I said it quite clearly, or were you too captivated by me to notice?"

Orianna instinctively knew he was trying to push her. Why, she didn't know?

"How dare you even suggest … you are so…so arrogant, you…..you… brute"...

Not the comeback she had intended to put him in his place with, not by a long shot. She was the first to admit she was hopeless under pressure; instead of being a fierce and breathtaking opponent, her mind cowered behind weak threats and narrowed eyes. It seemed he played this fact to his advantage.

"My, my, my, aren't we just the epitome of cutting and bitter speech today. I'm afraid it takes a lot more than that to cut me down to size. No need to deny it, you were staring, but don't worry, I don't blame you." Folding his arms as if he had just won the argument, the man dared Orianna to take the bait.

She did.

"Oh yes, however did you know? The moment my eyes looked at you, I was caught by the absolute attraction that you emanate. You are unrivalled by any I have seen, how could I resist?" In desperate times, sarcasm was the best weapon and one she knew how to use.

Her triumph was cut short by a barely audible growl from her belly. Hunger was her worst enemy and greatest distraction. Deciding enough was enough, Orianna looked at the man with serious but not unkind eyes.

"I was not staring…not in the sense that you know. I got caught in my own thoughts and I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression." She knew it was a barefaced, white lipped lie, but she didn't care. Her pride was more important than the truth.

The smile that graced his lips told the young woman that she wasn't completely believable, but he gained a small amount of her respect when he held his tongue.

By some act of divine salvation, the boat leaned again to one side, but this time it wasn't so drastic, it merely made Orianna stumble a bit before she noticed one of her berries roll straight past her feet. Her eyes followed the red little fruit as it rolled pathetically towards, and then past, a debilitated looking mound of cream pastry and a ceramic plate.

Using the situation to her advantage to escape the man, Orianna bent down and started to search for the other remaining lost fruit, which to her dismay, seemed to have spread out all over the room.

As she looked all over for the runaway berries and only finding three, she became aware of another sensation. It didn't take her long to become conscious of the fact that someone was watching her, _two guesses of who that can be_, she cynically thought.

She wasn't such a fool as to believe he was looking at her as a man would a pretty lady, but instead she was probably amusing him. On her hands and knees, grasping for her ruined food, she knew she looked a right old sight…definitely not refined or womanly.

Orianna wasn't used to situations such as these. She made a habit of shying away from social situations, since with no surprise, she was shunned away from anyway.

With her family past filled with too many dark questions about her mother's disappearance and her father's insecurities, Orianna was quickly made the town's outsider. So when she was paid such scrutinizing attention (so she thought), it was hard to not let it remind her of life at home.

She did not want to be reminded of all the bad looks, the secret laughs and worst of all, the prying eyes of the villagers who never ceased with creating the endless and passing on the hurtful rumours. She hoped this journey would finally let her be free from all of it…her heart couldn't fight forever.

Letting out a gentle sigh she finally found the last berry, conveniently hidden under a chair in the furthest corner. Placing it on the plate with the dismembered pastries intended for the bin, Orianna proceeded to stand, all the while struggling against the wayward movements of the boat.

Realising that she no longer felt the tingle of the strangers gaze upon her back, she turned to where she had last left him, but he seemed to have vanished.

"Not surprising", she muttered to herself as she looked around the room trying to spot him, but finally gave up when she noticed that only three people other than herself, remained in the room. No one even raised an eyebrow at her behaviour, and for that, she was thankful. She knew she attracted enough questions for the fact that she was a young woman travelling alone in a time when many women were either not allowed or didn't dare risk using that liberty.

Before heading back to her cabin, Orianna placed two pastries from the buffet table in a napkin, and just in case, placed another one in her mouth.

* * *

The storm was just reaching its peak as Royal Avenue's captain, Mr Jonathan Helm, wearily rubbed his eyes, praying that the ship would endure the storm in one piece. He knew the morning would bring an array of damage, but hopefully all repairable in a day or two.

Listening to the roar of the waves outside his cabin door, he drew a tight, thin-lipped smile. His mind was already in motion, planning tomorrow's itinerary.

It had to be done quickly, he considered. To take more time than necessary meant leaving the ship, and its passengers, vulnerable to more than the elements and that was a risk Jonathan Helm would not allow. He had worked too hard for too long to let the gold hungry scoundrels of the sea jeopardise his future.

_

* * *

_

Holding the mirror in her hand, the woman slowly studied her reflection, noticing the fine yet deepening lines around her eyes and a few just starting to appear around her lips. She couldn't help but sigh at the image staring back; she was growing older and soon she would loose her youthful looks altogether.

_Turning her attention to her ears the woman's gaze fell upon a seemingly shadow like object lurking in the corner._

_She stared transfixed, unable to turn away._

_As if summoned by her gaze, the shadow seemed to edge nearer, its reflection becoming clearer._

_Still intently watching, the woman didn't need another moment to realise that she was now in undeniable danger. _

_She tried to scream but no sound came out._ _She tried to run but her body seemed to be held down by a force greater than her own, a force that could not be seen nor escaped from._

_Little by little, she felt her chest tighten. Instinctively she started to gasp for air, but found that it all but turned to ash in her throat._

_Unable to do anything, the lady watched as the shadow appeared before her and become terrifyingly conscious of how powerless and alone she was._

_She closed her eyes as she felt an intense suffocating pressure on her chest before letting out a bone-chilling shriek. She felt herself being swallowed into a world of darkness, but as she closed her eyes for the last time, she was aware of the room's door being thrown open. Her last moment, her last memory was of her husband and child clutched together in fear and disbelief._

Orianna woke with a tortured gasp, her body trembling and her head aching.

Feeling something slide down her cheek, she lifted her hand and touched the watery trail only then to wipe away her tears as if rubbing away the memories.

Stumbling out of bed, she feebly made her way to a small parcel safely hidden away in the corner of her small cabin.

Picking it up as if it held the secrets of the world, Orianna brought it back to her bed and gently placed it upon her pillow.

Her unsteady fingers untied the material and laid the cloth open to find the mirror in her dreams, the same one her mother had left behind before she disappeared. Biting her lip, she ran a finger along its edges, hoping to console herself with its cold exterior. It was only a dream.

For years, she and her father had tried to find answers but nothing ever seemed to add up. Finally, after one last attempt that led nowhere, her father had given up, leaving his daughter to find the answers by herself. It was now her burden to bear and it weighed her down so much she feared it would break her.

Guilt etched at her mind at the thought of her father waking in the morning to an empty house. She knew he would fear for her at first and then eventually anger would take its place, she only hoped he left some room in his heart for forgiveness.

A dismal and pathetically written note left on the table was the only thing she offered in way of explanation. She had found a clue that was too good to ignore and she was sick and tired of writing letters in hope for answers…this time she had taken the initiative and she hoped to god it wouldn't turn around and fall down flat.

Carefully placing the mirror back into its box, Orianna critically studied it. It looked too similar to the painting in the dining room to be just a coincidence and it had only just came into her mothers possession before she died. Whom it was from or why, she didn't know, but a feeling within her told her she would find out more by going back to the painting.

Curiosity and restlessness getting the best of her, Orianna hastily dressed in a plain, dark purple dress and deciding that no one would be about at this time, which she guessed to be around ten or eleven at night, she quickly swept a brush through her soft brown hair leaving it free, and made her way out of the room.


	2. Sneak in the night

Careful to make as little noise as possible, Orianna lightly crept along the sides of the hallway, fervently avoiding any weak spots that threatened to creak under her weight

Careful to make as little noise as possible, Orianna lightly crept along the sides of the hallway, fervently avoiding any weak spots that threatened to creak under her weight. Not one sound other than the creaking of the boat against the dying strength of the waves could be heard and this was something she counted as a blessing. It seemed she had avoided the hourly patrol.

The door to the dining cabin was barely several meters away, sitting conveniently to the left at the hallways end. Its dark mahogany tint was almost unrecognisable in the darkness but its overly kitsch handle wasn't. Large and round, fashioned in the likes of a holly wreath, it was easy enough to seek out and, to Orianna's ineffable relief, unlocked.

As quick as her nimble body would allow, she swung the door open, barely set her feet within the room and not a second sooner, shut the door so gently it barely made a sound.

A heady mixture of thrill and panic washed over her senses as she turned to face the large room. Not willing to waste time letting her eyes adjust to the complete darkness, she breathed in the crisp air that filled the room and slowly started to feel her way along the wall to her right.

After a few near misses with the furniture and some knocks that would surely leave a bruise, Orianna finally found what she was looking for.

Being fully aware that at any moment she could be caught didn't do a thing for her bravado but it was reason enough to add a slight quickness to her movements.

She wasn't one with an ability to lie, not convincingly anyway, so the idea of trying to explain herself out of a situation such as this would be like trying to dig out of a hole with a toothpick. Nevertheless, casting those fears aside, Orianna knew she had something much bigger demanding her attention. Managing a few more steps, counting each painting that passed, she finally stopped and smiled.

Running her slender and cold fingers over its coarse frame, she hastily slid the painting off the wall and placed it preciously on the floor. Kneeling down beside it and staring at its dark and faint outline, she became wholly and horribly aware of the fact that she hadn't planned any further.

A sense of foolishness swept through her like a torrent; all the ideas she had in her head of finding some connection to her dream seemed to collapse almost instantly.

There wasn't enough light to study the image of the silver mirror more closely, and she couldn't exactly take the painting until morning without anyone noticing.

In her desperation, she had acted without a smidge of common sense, and look where it got her: nowhere.

"What was I thinking," she whispered to herself feeling all the more a fool.

With shame-fuelled anger, Orianna hastily picked up the painting and struggled to her feet. Using rather more force than necessary, she slipped the portrait back onto its hook and casting one last furious glance in its direction, she turned away for the door. She had barely made two steps when an unusual feeling literally hit her and passed through her. Looking dumbly at her hands and then down at her body, she found a strange shimmer where darkness used to be. It was weightless and, with a hesitant test with the tip of her tongue, tasteless. Turning slowly, as if following its trail, she saw something that caught her heart in her throat.

It was her mother. Although barely an arms length away, it was obvious she was not there in flesh and blood, but it was real enough to pierce through Orianna like a cold blade. Her resolve faltered and then fell away leaving unbelieving tears to cloud her eyes as she watched the unnatural vista.

It happened slowly. The image of her mother that she refused to believe was real, refused to accept as anything more than a delusion simply wafted around the room, until other strange things started to appear, furniture in fact. One item after another appeared out of thin air until a whole room, a woman's bedroom it seemed, became as real as the ground Orianna stood on.

Transfixed, horrified and yet unashamedly amazed, she watched as the scene became a story told in silence.

Sitting at a mirrored vanity, the ghost picked up a simple wooden box no larger than an outspread hand. Opening its lid, it picked out a small square piece of charcoal from within its depths and set its black surface upon the mirror.

Letter by letter, eventually a word Orianna had never heard of came into existence.

C….A…S…U…O…W

Reading the word, then re-reading it again, she couldn't make heads or tails of it. If it was a name of a person, a town, a creature or even an affliction she could not, for the life of her, tell.

Before she could question further, everything around her changed. The images began to fade, the air became colder and the shimmering light weakened until all that was left was the blackness of the night.

It was now that the full intensity of what happened hit Orianna and although she had a strong mind, it couldn't fully adjust and with trembling legs the only warning, the curtains closed on her conscious mind and she fell to an ungraceful heap on the floor.

Vaguely regaining consciousness, she heard what seemed like a surprised curse then footsteps before once again, blacking out.

* * *

Her head snapping backwards as she was lifted up off the ground brought Orianna too.

An involuntary groan escaped her lips. Feeling heavy and slightly dizzy, she leaned her head against the shoulder of the person carrying her, grateful for the support.

"Where am I?"

A heartbeat of silence passed before a faintly familiar voice broke through. There was no denying to whom it belonged and it instantly made her stiffen.

"I found you unconscious on the floor, so in truth, I should probably be the one asking questions"

It was true, she couldn't deny that. Her mind had now cleared sufficiently enough to comprehend the situation and it really didn't like what it saw. She had a thousand different excuses waiting to be said, but each just didn't sound good enough. Why did it have to be him, out of a whole ship of people, who found her? Life, it seemed, got a kick out of making her miserable.

"Make you a deal. If you don't ask why I was there lying unconscious, then I won't ask you why you were there as well… at night and all alone, I might add. Does that seem fair?"

"Quite". From the amused lilt in his voice, it was clear he didn't feel guilty in the least for being caught out. This confidence brushed against Orianna for a reason she could not explain.

Although it was dark, she could see well enough to understand he had carried her out of the room and was slowly making his way back down the hallway. Although she knew she wasn't steady enough on her feet to walk, her pride gave her nerve to ask to be put down.

The look the man gave her said enough to silence any complaints. "You would fall as soon as your legs touched the ground and I won't risk you injuring yourself again. And if you complain that you're too heavy for me to carry, which I know would've been your next excuse, don't worry…I can manage." As if to prove his point, he easily shifted her weight in his arms to keep her from slipping.

A muffled "harrumph" escaped from Orianna as she deftly resigned herself to the awkward situation. "My cabin is the last door on the left."

She remained silent as he treaded the last few meters until they reached her door and didn't complain when he gently set her down, leaving his hands on her waist to balance her swaying frame.

Grasping the doorway for support, she waited until he stepped back before she faced him. Although one part of her, quite a large part in fact, couldn't seem to trust him, she knew she couldn't be completely ungrateful for his help.

"I guess all I can say is thank-" but before she could finish, the man raised his hand in a silencing gesture.

"Don't. Just turn around, go inside your cabin and lock the door. I did what I had to do and that's all, now it's your turn."

Orianna attempted to argue but the cutting seriousness in his voice made her decide otherwise. She wasn't used to receiving orders, in fact since her mother disappeared, she all but ran the household…although admittedly, it was only her father who was around to get the brunt of it.

With puzzlement clearly written on her face, she gave the gentleman a curt nod of her head and muttered a cautious "Goodnight" before turning and opening the door. Pausing for only a moment she felt the urge to question the man, to at least ask his name, but something told her to ignore it, to hold her tongue and just do as she was told. And in the end, she did.

* * *

"Captain," yelled a young man.

"Captain," he tried again. Finding no answer, he continued along the deck, furiously scanning for any signs of Captain Helm. Calling out again in one last attempt, he got his answer, but not from his intended source.

"Over in his bunks," answered a cabin boy.

"Thanks", replied the youth before hurrying towards the captain's personal quarters.

Steadying himself and running a hand over his uniform to smooth it out, he knocked on the door and stepped back.

Captain Helm slowly got out of his bed, cursing whoever woke him at this hour. After only four hours rest in two days, he was close to falling asleep on his feet. Opening the door, he faced a sullen looking young man and instantly knew it would not be good news.

Before he could even murmur a word, the young man spoke.

"Captain there's a problem".


	3. Susceptible?

The sun barely leaked through the edges of the oak door, but it was enough to wake Orianna. Sighing slightly, she lazily stretched and stared up at the ceiling, noticing the intricate patterns of the wood ceiling above her head.

_(THUMP) "NO, NO, NO, you use two nails on each side, not just one…Do you want this ship to sink…well do you…"_ Boomed an irritated voice from the deck above.

Orianna stayed staring at the ceiling for a full ten minutes before curiosity got the best of her. Sliding out of bed, she crept over to the wooden chest neatly tucked away in the corner.

"…_Am I stuttering…can you not understand the words coming out of my mouth…when I say two nails…. I mean...TWO NAILS", _screeched the voice again.

At this Orianna couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "What on earth could they be doing up there", she questioned out loud, all the while roaming through her wooden chest for something to wear.

She knew that aboard a ship like this, her breeches and boots wouldn't be up to their standards, so instead she opted for a simple silken dark blue dress. She knew that with a dress like that, a corset had to be worn so, grudgingly, she pulled one out and spent the next half hour trying to put it on.

Finally satisfied she walked over to the mirror for a quick check. Staring back at her was the same person she'd seen for the past 18 years.

"Same old, same old", she muttered to her reflection. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was finally starting to look a bit more like the young woman she was instead of the lanky 16 yr old she left behind when her mother died.

Checking the room before she left, Orianna made sure her wooden chest was hidden away and the door key was safely in her left shoe before she made her way above deck to find out what was going on...

Walking along the hallway a familiar scent came to her attention and caused her insides to rumble. She could pick out the fresh smell of bread and sausages that wafted all around her. Exploration, she decided, would have to wait.

Walking in to the dining cabin, Orianna met with the same faces that appeared every morning. There was Duke and Lady Kinright, Lady Eleanor with her young son who, to Orianna, resembled an overstuffed pink sausage.

Lastly there was Lord and Lady Tersall with their painfully shy fifteen year old daughter Margaret who until now was even too shy to eat breakfast in public. Seeing them up so early surprised her, but then she guessed that with the ruckus on deck, the chances of anyone still sleeping would be slim to none.

Making the necessary acquaintances with each, Orianna quickly swooped to the dining cart, her stomach already giving way to the aggressive rumbling clearly audible to anyone nearby.

Collecting her plate full, she walked towards a small round table in the corner of the room. Out of all the tables, this one was her favourite. It was out of the way and from that position she could study everyone in the room without being to obvious.

She didn't stare at them but read their features and tried to guess their stories. Why they're on the boat, their favourite colour or Orianna's favourite; their little habits, like Lady Kinright always separates her food into section so vegetables on one side and meat on the other with anything else on either side.

After being a week and a half aboard the ship Orianna ran out of things to do. First she explored every possible place on the ship from room to room, then came introducing herself to anyone she was near.

This included the crew who quite happily updated her on every detail of their life including bits that would've even made the scum of the earth blush. Talking like old ladies they helpfully added pieces of gossip from below deck and anything else they could think of whenever she was around.

_They aren't that bad _Orianna noted, although they were what you'd expect for sea men, a bit gruff and vulgar at best, but at least they made the boredom onboard easier to go through.

At the moment Orianna was busily picking out the bits of rosemary from her omelette, out of all the things in the world she wouldn't eat, rosemary was at the top.

She was so entranced at the job at hand, that she didn't even notice the shadow standing over her.

"Not a fan of Rosemary I assume?" Asked a deep voice.

Orianna quickly snapped back to reality and even without having to look up, she instinctively knew who it was.

"I'm also not a fan of been sneaked up on", she replied, starting to feel a bit embarrassed about him seeing her single out the pieces of Rosemary like a hawk and placing them to one side.

"If your only here to mock me, then I suggest you go satisfy your need for self importance somewhere else", she finally stated not caring about how blunt she was.

He looked a bit taken aback and Orianna mentally noted to do that more often, at least it took the smirk of his face, a good-looking face at that.

At the last thought Orianna inwardly groaned, '_why does he have this effect on me? It's absurd…he's a pretentious, arrogant twat that seems to enjoy embarrassing me every time we meet. And to add to the fact….I don't even know his name…..'_

She turned her attention back to the man standing before her. She expected to see disgust or even dislike on his face but instead, his head was just slightly tilted and his eyes intently studying her.

Although she felt surprised and a little self conscious she couldn't help but hold his gaze. There was no way she was going to let him get the better of her. There was something about him that piqued her curiosity.

All though she did not know it, he was thinking the same thing. He held her gaze and used this time to study her features. Admitting to him that although she was quite striking, there was something else that drew him to her...

Shaking his head slightly, he silently scolding himself for letting his thoughts get that far. _Shame though….._

Taking his slight shaking of the head as a sign, Orianna abruptly stood up to her full height, which to her disappointment, only reached just above his shoulders. She was never one for theatrics, but she felt that such pointed egotism in his case at least entitled her to make a dignified and piercing exit.

Picking up her plate, she turned back to the man. He stepped back a bit to give her room before she gave a curt, "Good day", and proceeded to brush past him on her way out.

Short and sweet is what she had intended but now she felt a little tactless when, as usual, the perfect comeback for the situation had only just hit her.

She made her way up the stairs and onto the deck where she was greeted with the sight of the entire crew working away, helping to repair the damage that the storm had caused.

Everyone who could help was used, even the chef, who was currently cutting spare wood and handing it over to the repair men hanging over the side of the ship. Orianna dodged her way through the workers and across the deck, to the bow of the ship.

Spotting the captain she found him to be engrossed with surveying every inch of the horizon with his telescope. So instead she decided to ask her questions to the ships messenger boy, Frank, who was sitting on a near-by water barrel.

Frank was a tall, lanky and sullen boy who, despite appearances, was actually quite confident and charming. Orianna had run into him a few times over the past few weeks and found him to be rather interesting.

"Hello", Greeted Frank as he saw Orianna walk towards him, ushering for her to sit on one of the barrel besides him.

"Hello yourself", replied Orianna struggling to pull herself up, since her skirt made it impossible by getting caught on the barrels few splinters.

Frank helped to dislodge her skirt and they both sat in comfortable silence.

"So how long do you think were going to be stranded here?" asked Orianna, her eyes scanning the calm rippling of the ocean's surface.

"Probably another two or three days, just until we can make sure that every hole and breakage is repaired", replied Frank casually.

"Was the damage really that bad", she questioned, turning her attention back to the boy next to her.

"Not as bad as it could've been, but, enough so were susceptible"

Orianna was now confused. "What do you mean Susceptible?"

Frank turned his head to the horizon where the captain was still searching for the unknown.

"Pirates have been known to sail these waters, they come from the South and sail downwards. This means that were right in their path, so as you can see", he illustrated with a sweeping of his arm across the boat; "every able man has been helping to get this old boat patched up before we run into some trouble".

A simple Hmm and a nod of the head was all Orianna could manage. She was deep in her thoughts for she understood that if they got attacked, then it could potentially end her journey right there. Generally Pirates were not known to be sympathetic, especially towards women.

If she was lucky she would be taken and sold as a slave and possibly untouched, but, on the other hand, pirates around these parts are notorious for leaving no survivors after taking what they want.

Frank caught the look on Orianna's face and let out a slight laugh

"Don't worry so much about it, were well supplied with weapons, so much so, that we can take on three boat loads of them if wanted to".

Orianna, although not quite convinced of their safety, decided to change the subject. They stayed talking for another few minutes before Franks help was needed elsewhere.

Walking back downstairs, she decided to occupy herself by re-exploring the entire boat making sure to not miss any room. This only engaged her for a few hours before she reluctantly returned to her room. Deciding to finally write to her father she spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what to write...

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Please, please, please review this chapter and tell me your honest opinion. I know the story is going slow, _especially _in the romance department but I first want to build up the background of the story and characters, so please bear with me. But PLEASE REVIEW so I know there are still people reading this story…but also can anyone please tell me what a disclaimer is and do I need one?. Thanks 


	4. The key of all troubles

It was becoming late in the afternoon, around six, when Orianna was once again to be found on the ships deck.

She had started to feel restless in her room and the idea of fresh air was too enticing to resist. Thankfully not many people could be found there, since many of the major renovations had already been attended too and apart from a handful of crew, the deck was all but bare.

The ships captain, when on a chance meeting with Orianna in the hallway, made it his personal duty to proudly inform her that instead of the estimated two days of repair, it had only taken him one, and although some minor breakages still had to be attended too, Royal Avenue was back on course and hopefully out of danger.

Upon hearing this Orianna felt a sudden rush of relief course through her, and after going through the necessary civil formalities with Capt. Helm, she left to go upstairs with a more optimistic air, fervently hoping it would last. Orianna stood there, transfixed on the gentle lapping of the waves as they would rise, fold and then melt back into themselves.

The once clear and flawless sky was now flooded with vast and threatening black clouds, just like before. Orianna let out a sigh. Standing right up against the ships side, she closed her eyes and took in everything around her.

Experiencing a sense of stillness at the thought of being surrounded by water and realizing that as long as she was onboard, she had the opportunity for once, to slow down, and let her mind be unclasped from the ever constant knowledge of what she ran away from home to do…at least for a few minutes.

The gentle breeze was now picking up, Orianna could feel it rush through her loosely tied back hair, and sweep smoothly past her cheeks. Every new wave gathered unexplained strength as it lashed up against the ship.

It was a surreal feeling. She opened her eyes and laid her hands upon the ships walls. She stayed there, staring aimlessly, deep in thought before she became aware of a strange sensation…a feeling of being watched.

Orianna scolded herself for being so paranoid, but the feeling stayed there, refusing to back down. Feeling a bit uneasy, she tried to look as unsuspicious as possible as she slowly turned and scanned the deck, making sure to look at everything, without being too obvious. Not an easy thing to do.

Orianna was a bit discouraged when no-one could be found. She inwardly sighed and put it down to her imagination, feebly trying to overcome boredom.

The next gust of wind brought with it a slight chill which, as it went past, faintly kissed Orianna's skin and made her shiver.

Her minds reason had finally won and she turned to go back to her room, away from the cold. As she turned, the corner of her eye caught sight of something, a small, dark and faint figure sitting just on the waters far edge.

Although it was just a little speck on the horizon, she could tell it, whatever it was, was heading her way. Her logical thoughts told her it was only a passing merchant boat, on its way to some far off distant harbour; but thanks to her earlier conversation with Frank (Messenger boy), her suspicions were now bordering on the impossible.

He mentioned pirates, and to any 18 yr old girl that brought up images of one armed, drunk crooks, with bad tempers and a penchant for maidens, no matter how unwilling.

Although she doubted all pirates were that stereotypical, she knew enough to thus convince herself that she had every right to be suspicious, even if it was because she had nothing else to occupy her mind with.

Before Orianna left, she made a mental note to return again in a quarter of an hour to check on its progress, and hopefully prove her foolish thoughts wrong.

Choosing to go straight back to her room, Orianna leisurely walked through the ships many hallways, noticing how her feet seemed to pick out every loud creaking floorboard as she went past.

Finally she found her hallway and recited each doors number until she reached her own. Smiling slightly, she reached down into her shoe for the key. She decided to use the shoe since none of her dresses had pockets, and at the time it seemed like commonsense, but now she wasn't so sure since she couldn't find the key.

Starting to get worried, Orianna sat herself on the floor and pulled off her shoe. Her hand felt out every part of the shoe from beginning to end, and even though she knew it wasn't there, she shook it slightly…just-incase.

Biting her bottom lip and furrowing her brow, Orianna sat against her door. '_Where did I put it? It couldn't be in my room since I never took it out of my shoe, unless…. when I took them off it came out as well?'_ She sat there puzzling over it for a few minutes before she established that it wasn't likely. …'_that only leaves the possibility that it fell out while I was walking'. _

Dragging herself up off the floor, Orianna looked around, trying to remember anywhere and everywhere she'd been that day. She happily found that she didn't have very many options, since her list only comprised of the hallways, the dining room and the deck. Deciding to start with the dining cabin, Orianna went on her way with a declaration to keep looking until she found it.

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Three hours had passed and Orianna was still no closer to finding the key. So at last she gave up, and went to her next option which was to ask the captain for the second key.

Orianna grudgingly started to make her way up to the deck where he could usually be found at the ships wheel or surveying one of his maps.

The wind was getting a bit stronger, making Orianna hold down her skirt so it wouldn't fly up as she walked towards the back of the boat. Instead of finding the captain himself, she was alternatively greeted by one of his navigators and after some inquiry, she learnt that the Capt. was urgently needed elsewhere and would most likely be detained until later that night.

Orianna didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She walked along the deck wondering what to do. She had the option to wait around for the captain, but it was starting to get a bit too cold, so Orianna decided she would wait it out in the dining cabin and every now and again walk back up to check if Mr Helm was back.

Remembering the speck on the horizon from earlier that day, Orianna turned her eyes to where she assumed it was, but since it was around nine at night, with the overcast from the coming storm, all she could see was an empty, dark abyss of black.

'_Classic, just classic'_

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Orianna was currently fast asleep and perched awkwardly on a small cushioned settee in the corner, no one else was in the room.

She had gone to the dining cabin three hours before, determined to wait for the captain- time to her was no issue. Although her mind was set, her body had other ideas and after an hour it gave into the unavoidable tiredness brought on from the gentle rocking of the boat and the warm cosy room.

Little did she know, in her trancelike sleep, that what she once passed off as paranoid thinking was soon to become a harsh reality. They used the shroud of darkness as a cover, coming up from behind, knowing full well that the crew and a certain Mr Helm would be distracted tonight, their captain would've made sure of that; it was all going to plan.

It was by sheer chance that Royal Avenue was damaged and inoperative on the same night the raid was to take place, many of them took it as a sign of good fortune on their side.

The captain had given the crew very strict instructions to follow, making sure everything was thought of, so when their ship got close enough to board, they did so with little difficulty. When the time came for them to get into position, they knew where to go. It was just a matter of time.

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Please bear with me, this chapter is helping to build up to the good part, I promise. I know its taking a while to get anywhere but soon you'll see where it's all going. I've rewritten chapter 1 and 2 so there's a bit more information.

And please **review** so I know that people are still reading this story, honest opinions always needed and any review no matter how short is always welcome, any questions please ask. I'm sorry if I haven't replied to some of the reviews but I promise I will try. Thanks to all who have reviewed! Hope you enjoy!


	5. Midnight raid

**I really hope you like this chapter. i noticed some grammar errors, so i redid it again so now its also a bit longer. Where oh Where are the reviews? (Hint, Hint). i know last chapter was just a fill in, but i still need helpful reviews for all my chapters. Please be kind and tell me what you think. I need opinions. Read and hopefully enjoy!**

A loud creaking of the floorboards outside in the hallways woke Orianna. Still a bit dazed and confused from just waking up, she dismissed it as nothing. She stretched herself contentedly, rubbing out the aches and pains from being crouched so uncomfortably.

Letting herself wake up, she leaned back into the chair and let her eyes wander without purpose until at last they settled upon the clock, she stared at it puzzled for a few minutes before realization coursed through her. Orianna caught her breath, _'but that's not possible'_. In all her weariness she had managed to sleep through half the night and now seeing the time to be into the very early morning, she knew she had to find someway to get back into her room.

Scrambling up from the chair, she decided to go see the captain straight away, not minding how late it was. She figured that if he was asleep, she'd just have to wake him up. She was halfway across the room when loud thumps and piercing screams met her ears, followed by angry shouts and a noisy fumbling. Orianna stood frozen; she had no idea what to think or what to do. She was still half asleep and found it hard to determine if she was still dreaming or not. The sounds were now starting to get closer and clearer. She could make out arguing and shouting when a loud and commanding voice boomed along the hallway. "Gather up everyone you can find, search every room, there's bound to be someone we didn't see. Do it swiftly and quietly, I don't want any confrontations, so try to not be so aggressive"

Slowly her mind began to react and made a quick start to the buffet table. It was the only place available in the whole room that could fit Orianna and at the same time hide her. Pulling up its table cloth covering, she slid herself underneath and waited, her nerves going rampant. She stayed as still as possible, not knowing what was going on; who had caused such a terror in the passengers? What had happened to the passengers? These questions weren't going to remain unanswered for long.

Orianna unconsciously held her breath when she heard the door slowly creak open. She listened as a pair of heavy footsteps descended into the room, leisurely striding around before coming to a stop, only a few feet from where she was hiding. She pressed her back up against the wall, hoping it would swallow her up, but since that wasn't possible, Orianna closed her eyes and expected the worst. In all her fear she didn't notice that he found the room to be entirely empty and so had now retreated to the other side of the room, visibly interested in something on the wall. After a few minutes of nothing happening, Orianna opened her eyes feeling a bit perplexed: she was still a secret? Summoning all her courage; well what was left of it anyway, she dared to peek underneath the table cloth to get a glimpse of the situation. That was going to be tricky to do since she was in such a confined space.

Expertly getting on her hands and knee's without making a sound, Orianna peeled back the cloth off the floor only a few centimetres; just enough to squint through. She was met with the sight of a very stout, short man attempting to dislodge something from the wall on the other side of the room. Her eyes travelled up and down the oddly terrifying individual. He was no taller than Orianna's shoulder but was almost twice the width of her; his thighs reminded her of thick tree trunks supporting the rest of his overshadowing bulk. He looked to be getting on in age, with his dark hair already thick with greys, but it was his clothes that interested Orianna the most. They were like she'd never seen before, finely cut and tailored to suite, decorated with a fine silver emblem delicately stitched on the back. Even she had to admit it was a pretty impressive uniform for a…for a...what was he?

No form of memory could answer that for her, so Orianna settled that most likely he was some filthy pirate, dressing in such fine clothes only to gratify his purely sad, miserable and selfish existence. She hated to be so cynical and spiteful, but in situations like these it was easier to replace fear with hate. She continued to watch the pirates' ongoing struggle to unhook the painting. Too short to easily unhook it and too proud to admit defeat, he kept at it; determination the force behind him, kicking him to go back every time and try again, never relenting. Orianna almost laughed at the scene, but caught herself just in time before she realized just exactly what he was so determined to steal.

She stared in transfixed horror as he finally yielded to his exceedingly impatient tendencies and yanked the painting downwards, causing the strings holding it to the wall to snap. A victorious smile firmly etched onto his face while he tucked it underneath his arm and walked back across the room towards the door.

The painting was in full view for Orianna, and what she saw made her breath catch in her throat. If she wasn't certain before, she was damn certain now. It was the very painting that held within its canvas, a small delicate green jewel. Her mouth fell shamelessly open. She hadn't any time yet to properly study the painting, seek out its history or even to look at it accurately without interference. Now, out of all times, some brute was daring enough to rip it straight off the wall and attempt to walk away with it as if it was another everyday object, which Orianna knew very well it wasn't.

The livid and spiteful thoughts operating in her mind almost made her crawl out from under the table, stride straight up to him, grab the nearest and heaviest object, knock him out, grab the painting and run like hell. But as usual her sense came through the hero and she stayed put, a sense of resentment welled up slowly inside her as an alternative.

Still watching silently, Orianna monitored every move the man made. With the painting still held safely in his clutches, he inquisitively wandered about the room, studying every statue, opening every box, table and drawer and selecting anything that caught his fancy. Orianna could tell that he was a powerful man, not only in strength but in the mind as well. The way he held himself, so straight and proud made her question her earlier accusations; the more she studied him the more she saw of his stature. There was more to the story with him than she had first presumed. This study him made no less scarier, maybe even a little bit more so since Orianna feared that his eyes would be keen enough to pick her out, cowering under a whimsical carrier tray.

She had no reasons for her reservations since once done; the man intensely scanned the room for any place untouched, a drawer or box left unopened. Finding everything to his approval, he turned on his heel and made his way in the direction of the door.

Just when Orianna was confident he was going to leave, he stopped as if he sensed something. He turned slightly so that he almost faced the buffet table. Orianna's heart stopped when she saw his eyes scan about, mostly in her direction. Little did she know, but he could smell something in that area, only that area, it smelled a lot like perfume; a woman's perfume. He took a few steps closer and stopped again.

Orianna was so scared she wanted to scream but never faltered being as still as her shaking body would allow. By now she had stopped looking out from underneath and was presently pressing her forehead to the ground, trying to control her breathing. As he came once again closer, Orianna quietly scuttled herself against the wall, pushing back so hard she feared she'd crack the thin barrier. She watched with mute shock as the pirate ran his hand slowly along the table cloth's material; his fingers pinched a small part and he rubbed it between them, feeling its quality. Just before he could do anything else, a voice echoed out from the hallway. "Captain" a few seconds of silence passed before it called out again. "Captain Rebus".

"In here, just hold on a minute" the man in the room yelled out, scaring the wits out of Orianna. She could only guess as to what he was doing or thinking for those few uncomfortable moments before, all too slowly, the pirate known as Rebus, left the room. Orianna was safe for the time being.

Finally breathing again, noises from behind her in the passage way inclined her curiosity. She put her ear up against the wall behind her and tried to make out the conversation that was currently taking place between the captain and presumedly one of his crew men.

"We've rounded them all up sir, what now?"

"Are you sure you got everyone?"

'Aye sir, we searched every room on this ship, the passenger's have been loaded up and locked in one of the larger cabin rooms"

"Good, what about the Captain and his men"

"All taken care of sir" - Orianna froze, her blood running cold.

"Well then… go tell the men to start loading up our ship, leave no room unturned, take anything of value and bring this along with you as well, it's a mighty fine painting, should fetch a bit dare I say. Go find my son and tell him to meet me on deck".

"Aye sir... still can't believe we pulled it off as we did, it was a brilliant idea to put your son onboard, and without him here… there would've been a hell of a lot more work. Lady Luck's sure taken rather a fancy to us"

"Aye Soblin, she has, let's just hope it'll last and the seas stay calm"

From that point onwards, Orianna could only hear a few muffled sounds and retreating footsteps. Although safe under the covered buffet trolley for now at least, Orianna knew she would have to do something potentially stupid. If they were searching every room, then the only thing she ever treasured in the world apart from her father would be laid bare for their greedy hands. Her reasonable thoughts argued that a simple wooden chest wasn't worth the risk, but her conscience and her heart made the decision. Listening once more through the wall to make sure no one was there; she squeezed herself out and buried her fear.

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Slowly creeping out of the room and into the corridor, Orianna had to restrain herself from running back and hiding. She made it to the end of one hallway and was about to turn into the other when she saw three faint figures skulking their way in her direction. Orianna knew she had the benefit of the shadows and was confident she was unnoticed. Careful to not step on any loose floorboards, she turned back around and scampered softly until she reached the adjoining corridor that led towards the back of the ship. Looking for anywhere to hide, her eyes settled upon a half opened door and before she knew it, she was inside the room, pressed up against the door frame passionately hoping to remain undetected.

Trying to hear over her thumping heart was no easy task, but she succeeded in at least determining that the men had travelled into a previous hallway further back, since she could hear no sounds showing otherwise. Taking in another deep breath of confidence, Orianna slid back out of the room and into the hallway. While her body moved forward, her mind retreated back to traitorous thoughts of safety that the buffet table provided. At any time she could have gone back, been comforted in the knowledge of protection. But now, she decided, now was too late, she had gone too far to run and hide like a coward.

She could hear the gentle pounding noises her feet made as she swiftly moved through the hallways, constantly aware of the ever present danger. She passed door after door, all of which were open to her view. There was no doubt that the pirates had already succumbed to the attraction of greed; every room, every closet and every box were penetrated for hidden delicacies. The mess and chaos around her was evidence enough to make Orianna quicken her pace until she was almost in a full run. The muscles in her chest tightened instantly upon the sight of a familiar stretch of hallway, all the doors as with the others, were flung open… including hers.

She warily crept to her door, knowing she wouldn't like what she saw; Orianna prepared herself for the most unpleasant. Reaching to push open the door, a noise from inside the room made her stop in mid action. She wondered if she had imagined it, her fear playing up. Another noise followed soon after, this time more distinct. To Orianna it sounded like drawers were been opened, ravaged through and then carelessly pushed closed. When these noises were soon accompanied by footsteps walking across the room; her suspicions were confirmed, someone was still inside. One of Orianna's flaws was the tendency to think a situation through for far too long. She got a stark realization of this when her door was pulled wide open from the other side, and she was face to face with an equally surprised Rebus. He had just finished probing the room for anything worth taking when upon opening the door; he got quite a shock when he saw Orianna standing there frozen in absolute transfixed horror, a small whimper escaping her lips.

Quickly recovering, Rebus smiled heartily at the girl before him, astonished at the days turn of events. Tempted to laugh at her state, Rebus gave into the appeal, letting out a deep, rumbling laughter that echoed through the room. All Orianna could do was blink. All her mind could concentrate on was forcing herself to breathe. Out of all the outcomes she had imagined, she hadn't planned for this one.

Somehow Rebus' laughter had brought her out of her thoughts and her body immediately went into action. Orianna knew that the array of hallways near the back end of the boat could potentially conceal her; she took one last look at the still smiling Rebus, noting the pile of her belongings draped over his arms and shoulders, along with none other than her revered box tightly held in his arms. Tempted to reach out and pry it from his arms, Orianna realized the need to get away as fast as possible. She turned in the direction of her left and ran along the hallway; blinded by fear and pushed on by adrenaline was the only was she could describe it.

Now that she had been discovered, Orianna had no chance other than to run and pray to whomever for protection. This would have been a smart idea if her legs weren't still in unmeditated shock; every step she took the more her legs would tremble, the more she trembled the more she stumbled.

Rebus on the other hand was too weighed down by all the plunder he had collected to run after her, deciding instead to send one of his men to fetch her when he reached the deck. Little did he know that it wouldn't be necessary, since his own heir was currently intrigued at seeing a very pretty young woman he recognized, skid past him as he was turning into adjoining hallway. At first he thought he had imagined it, but upon hearing her ever fainter footsteps travelling further down the hallway, his curiosity took over.

He had a feeling that she hadn't seen him since it was a T shaped hallway, and deciding to use it to his advantage, he decided to follow her. A mischievous spark now appeared in his eyes, a roguish smile tugged at his lips. He was going to have a little fun with this.

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	6. Be the hunter, not the hunted

I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. I know I haven't updated in while but school had a tendency to clump a mass of work and exams together in a very short space of time, so finding the time to write has been tricky. Thankyou to the one (tear), very beautiful person who reviewed the last chapter. Please, please, anyone just review. I know it sounds desperate and it probably is, but I need the feedback. So please be kind and review. It makes my day (wow, I have such a life)

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Orianna, completely unaware of her new pursuer, kept to her original plan of direction and continued hurriedly through the maze like walls. Finally forcing herself to stop from sheer exhaustion, Orianna tried to calm herself down by breathing deep. Her body wasn't used to so much exercise; even just walking up a flight of stairs would practically send her into a hyperventilating seizure. Pressing her back up against the cold wall behind her, Orianna closed her eyes and considered the way her chest would rise and fall with each new breath, until finally, its rhythmic movements calmed her fear down until it was no more than a slight tingle in the muscles.

This was not how she had planned things to happen. She was meant to be the hunter, not the hunted, as clichéd as that sounds. Orianna wasn't only currently angry at herself for being so defenceless, but also at fate. Things like this had a habit of following her around, as if it knew when the most opportune time to rear its ugly head was. Orianna had figured out from the beginning that she was somewhat disadvantaged. No only wasn't she armed with a single sharp object but she also wasn't strongly built; she was what was referred to as willowy and somewhat lanky. But when the situation arose, she knew she had no other choice but to fight back, well attempt to anyway. Dreading that situation, she put it to at the farthest reaches of her mind.

If she didn't find somewhere to put her out of sight soon, then there was the profound chance that her journey would be cut short, leading to a future full of situations she didn't even dare to think about. Her thoughts fleetingly turned to her wooden box; the original instigator of this whole mess. With a defeated heart, Orianna admitted to herself that in all reality, she would probably never again be in possession of that small wooden treasure. Taking in another deep and heavy breath, Orianna felt a sense of tiredness wash over her; after all, it was still just while before dawn. With a weak smile forced upon her lips, Orianna resentfully set off in search of somewhere concealing enough to avoid detection.

Confidently and casually striding several paces behind, the young man kept up to pace with Orianna, concealing himself behind every corner when necessary. He didn't worry too much since he presumed that she was too absorbed in her thoughts to notice anything amiss…

He hadn't formulated a plan as such, but decided to let things play out for themselves. He still didn't question his motives for what he was doing; all he knew was that he couldn't possibly let a poor, defenceless young girl wander around this big boat all by herself now, could he? But there was something else, something else that made him follow her, possibly want to protect her. He frowned at that last suggestion; he had hardened himself against the illusion of anything more than lust from a woman. He had once let himself get in too far only to be scorned in the bitterest way and now …well, he'd learnt from his mistakes.

Orianna looked around her. A sense of recognition started to fill her senses as she realised that she was finally heading in the right direction. From what she could remember, after the next turn should be the last, lone hallway. She kept on walking until her suspicions were proved correct and she was faced with a straight, long, dark hallway, the last hallway on that side of the ship. Finally all her worry had all but disappeared as she edged closer to the wooden door at the far end of the passage way. From her earlier expedition around the boat, she had come across the heavy oaken door, and after a sneaky inspection, found that it led to the ships store room.

Although it was so secluded and far away, within in it was held every object thought possible. It was quite a large room, about double the size of Orianna's cabin. The great thing about it was that except for one small oil lamp, hanging to the left of the door, it afforded her absolute impenetrable darkness. If there was one place where she could hide until the pirates finished their pointless rampage, then this room was it. Even if by chace they stumbled upon the room, then there was many a place within it that could easily hide her from view. Orianna smiled at her genius.

The further down the hallway, the darker it got, and so at last when Orianna reached the end, she had to use her hands to feel for the handle. A tiny hint of panic arose in her when she still couldn't find it, but it was for nothing since she had to only move her hand a little to the left when a cold, round, metallic like object collided with her hand.

Orianna grasped her hand tightly on the door knob and used all her strength to turn it but it wouldn't move. Thinking it odd, she tried and tried again, but still to no avail. It just wouldn't open. Then using her shoulder, she slightly rammed the door in frustration resulting in only a sudden rush of pain coursing up her arm. A soft curse escaped her lips as she gingerly rubbed her tender shoulder; all the hope she had just moments ago, had now disgracefully deserted her.

Fruitlessly staring hard at the door, Orianna let her head fall against it hard wooden surface with a rewarding 'Thunk'. Although it was an uncomfortable stance against the door, she didn't care, as long as she had something to support her now disbelieving frame. 'What now' she muttered aloud, inwardly hoping fate would get the idea and finally leave her alone.

But alas, when has fate ever listened to your opinion?

The young man currently hiding in the shadows smiled at the turn of events unfolding before him; she had just created the perfect opportunity for him to carry out his plan. Shifting himself quietly out of the shadows and into the hallway, he silently crept up a few steps behind Orianna, whose back still turned, was entirely unaware. The stranger knew the darkness around them hid his shadow, as well as almost entirely covering him from the corner of her eye. Orianna felt her skin tingle and rubbed the back of her neck, hoping for it to go away. When a feeling came over her of closeness, her body instinctively straightened itself, listening for any trace of discrepancy around her. Finding none, she stepped closer to the door hoping it was once again the inner workings of her paranoia.

The man behind her though, enjoying the power of making her restless, stepped as close as possible to Orianna without making his presence know as yet. A shiver ran down Orianna making her head turn to the side, furtively searching for the source. The stranger took this as his chance and slowly bent his head to her neck, gently blowing a whip of air across her skin. A small gasp escaped her lips as she froze at the strange sensation; her mind filled with confusion, only aided in her growing fear. The man behind her couldn't help but grin at the reaction he got.

Orianna, to his surprise, whipped herself around so that she was now facing him. She let out a small cry when her eyes made out a faint outline of a person before her, her senses going into panic mode. Unfortunately her panic mode consisted of standing frozen, her feet heavy as led table. He let out a laugh that caught Orianna somewhat off guard before his voice trailed not far behind.

'You a bit lost?'

Somewhere inside Orianna a faint voice tugged at the back of her mind. She narrowed her eyes as recognition gripped her.

'WH…what are you doing here?' She asked incredulous

'You haven't figured it out yet' he asked somewhat slyly

Confusion covered Orianna's features 'what are you talking about? ... How did you get out?'

'Get out from where?' he responded back, enjoying the disorder

'You know…' when no reply came she added 'from the room they put everyone in'

'You have no idea do you' he asked bemusedly.

'What are you talking about?' she asked, finally getting frustrated.

Deciding to take advantage of his presence and wanting to end the confusing conversation, she turned towards the door.

'Could you try to open the door, I tried before but I couldn't do it?'

'Why' he asked, taking satisfaction in aggravating her

'Why else, it's probably the only safe place on this whole boat'

'Are you sure it's _that_ safe?' he countered back

Although he couldn't see it, she had narrowed her eyes in his direction

'There's hardly a chance that the pirates would come around here'

He smiled at her naivety 'well it's a bit too late now don't you think'

Ignoring his last remark and not thinking anything of it, she shushed him with her hand. 'Since they haven't seen this part yet I'm sure it isn't too late, now hurry up'

He let out a small laugh at her brazenness.

A new plan had formulated in his mind already and for it to happen, he decided to let her think he was playing along. Orianna moved out of the way for him to try the doors handle, this was perfect since it would be easier for him to block it from her view. Using his acting skills, he feigned trying to force the knob around and gave an equally believable performance when he described to her that the door was jammed too tight, even for his strength. Its effects were obvious; Orianna's disheartened voice was proof enough. 'Well that's it I guess'

This was his chance. 'Maybe not, you know'

Orianna interests were piqued, she didn't quite know who he was but as that old saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures.

'A couple days back I stumbled upon an old cleaning closet, although not large, it's quite well hidden.' He tried to see her face in the dark but only saw a mere sketch, he then continued, 'and since you clearly have no other options left, we may as well see if it's possible'.

Orianna wasn't so confident about the idea, but deciding it was her best chance, decided to follow along.

'Alright'

That was all he needed before he turned on his heel and started walking back in the direction they came from, Orianna following close behind feeling a bit suspicious at his confidence.

Orianna continued on following him, past the dozens of disarranged cabin rooms and through the ever constant entwining hallways. Her legs were starting to feel weak with tiredness and lethargic from the lack of sleep. Afraid of sounding like a child, she didn't dare ask him whether they were nearly there yet or not, so she kept quiet and kept on walking. Soon her surroundings started to look similar; in fact, she became conscious of the reality that the next hallway led past her own cabin room. Finding this strange, Orianna found a tense feeling had now come over her as she cautiously walked on and it only got worse as she passed her room. She looked towards the stranger who was still confidently and steadily striding ahead. Questions now started to formulate in her mind.

How did he find me? Why wasn't he scared of running into a pirate? Where was he taking me?

Deciding she wanted answers, she caught up to him so that she was only a few paces behind.

'So do you know where you're going?' She asked, expecting him to answer back in a smart manner. He didn't answer at all

'You do know you're heading straight for the front of the boat…don't you?"

He still kept silent

Orianna was now worried. She now started to question his motives and stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway. The stranger upon hearing a cease in footsteps also stopped and turned to face Orianna.

She looked back at him with an intensity that made him look away

'**Who are you?' **

This question caught him unprepared. He raised his eyes to meet Orianna's and she was surprised to find him smiling.

'**I thought you'd never ask' **


	7. Rogue ideas

Finally! This chapter is finished (YAY!!!). I kept getting stuck but it eventually turns out and there's even a somewhat romantic scene near the end. (P.S) I finally found a name for the mysterious stranger and although it's a bit odd, I think it matches my idea of his character. Please read and try to enjoy it!!!

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_Deciding she wanted answers, she caught up to him so that she was only a few paces behind._

'_So do you know where you're going?' She asked, expecting him to answer back in a smart manner. He didn't answer at all_

'_You do know you're heading straight for the front of the boat…don't you?"_

_He still kept silent_

_Orianna was now worried. She now started to question his motives and stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway. The stranger upon hearing a cease in footsteps also stopped and turned to face Orianna._

_She looked back at him with an intensity that made him look away_

'_**Who are you?' **_

_This question caught him unprepared. He raised his eyes to meet Orianna's and she was surprised to find him smiling._

"_**I thought you'd never ask" **_

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_Hold your head up high and don't be afraid_, she told herself inwardly. "Oh _really_, please do enlighten me"

"Well since the fair lady beckons, then what else can I do but comply" he smartly answered back.

Orianna shot him an indignant look to which he only smiled.

"Since no formal introduction has been made, please allow me to introduce myself, I'm simply known as Tavis"

'Only Tavis, nothing else'

He was tempted to laugh at her curiosity but ignored her question, he continued on. "As you can already tell, I have a somewhat different part to play in this saga than you."

"Apparently" she sarcastically muttered, noticing the way he changed the subject.

It was his turn to give Orianna a disgruntled look. "If you would just hold your commentary till the end, I would like to continue."

He watched Orianna seethe silently, liking how easy it was to irritate her. "As I was saying, I have much more of a connection to the current events than you think."

Confusion clouded over Orianna's face "what do you mean... _connection_"

His disbelief was obvious, "you aren't joking, you really have no idea… even after all this time?"

She didn't bother to grace him with a reply.

"Well, think about it. Didn't you think it was strange how I was the only one on this boat who didn't try to draw any attention? I practically went unnoticed up till now, although I did have the curious trend of running into you many a time, once when you were questionable unconscious. Now when I think about it, what exactly were you doing in the dining cabin, at midnight, in the dark, passed out on the floor?"

Orianna caught her breath "why…what?"

He knew he had caught her at something. "Don't start acting all innocent on me now; you were up to something weren't you?"

"No…nothing, wh …why would you think such a thing." She knew she was stumbling but she had to find an explanation, preferably one that didn't mention; painting, strange light or dead mother.

"It's just too suspicious, that's all"

He had just unknowingly given Orianna her way out. "Suspicious _eh_"

Tavis narrowed his eyes; he knew where this was heading.

"I'll tell you what suspicious is Mr. Suspicious is why you don't seem to be worried that pirates have just raided our boat. Suspicious is why your so arrogantly confident, and yes, you did find me an a somewhat debatable situation, but the question I'm asking you is, why were you walking in there in the first place?"

"Since you clearly have something to hide and are now trying to turn the conversation around, I'll go along with it. In that room is an object that I found particularly fascinating. Why I didn't go during the day you ask? Well lets just say what I had planned for it couldn't be done when people were around. But as fate should have it, who did I find lying limply in the middle of the room? I may not be a principled man to the letter, but there are some things that I just can't overlook, and you in this case were such a thing."

For reasons unknown, Orianna felt a small sense of guilt. She knew there was no reason for it, but in her mind she knew that there weren't many people that would do such a thing, and for that, she couldn't find the anger to counter his admission.

Seeing a change in her countenance, Tavis decided to press on in another direction. "Now, about our present situation"

This caught Orianna's attention and she lifted her eyes to meet his. She found she was no longer afraid of him, still hesitant of course, but not afraid.

As he had her full interest, he continued. "You at this moment have two options. The first one is the most preferable for you to accept since the second has the tendency to lead to a somewhat _hostile_ outcome"

The more he talked, the more confused Orianna became. It didn't escape her attention that he spoke with an unusual authority, yet the subject was what bewildered her the most. '_Options, what does he mean by options? Since when are there options? '. _Her mind struggled over the issue for a few moments before a slow realization dawned upon her.

"You're one of them aren't you?" She asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer.

He let out a gentle laugh. "If you mean a pirate, then yes, I guess I am."

Orianna didn't reply, only slightly nodding her head while deep in thought. Finally looking up again, she answered, 'Well I guess that it does fit...in a peculiar way'

"How so?" he queried.

"You always seemed to be sneaking around and disappearing out of the room just a soon as you entered it. I had put it down to you either being very self-important or just shy."

"Well as you see now, it was all a part of the plan, couldn't risk giving away my secret could I?

"Even if you did, nothing could be done to stop this. As you said, it was all planned, meaning that even if you were found out, this moment now although a bit altered, would still happen"

Tavis nodded slightly "that's partly true but think about it. Given the knowledge that youse were going to be robbed, don't you think that everyone would have prepared themselves, even armed themselves against an attack?"

Orianna knew he had a point but something still irked her. "How exactly did you plan everything. I mean, although hijacking a boat isn't that original, how did you know where and when to attack?"

Tavis ran his fingers through his hair, dishevelling it even more so than Orianna thought possible, although the effect wasn't so unexpected…he looked down right handsome.

"Although I'd love nothing more than to tell a complete, somewhat peculiar stranger the innermost details of a beautifully designed plan, there's a more pressing matter to take care of first"

"What, your arrogance?"

He pretended to be wounded by her words and held a hand to his heart. "Contrary to what you think, it actually concerns yourself"

"What do you mean?" Orianna asked, now starting to feel uneasy.

"Well I can't exactly let you go; after all, you _are_ just a passenger and as I said before, you only have two options."

"Two… options?" Orianna repeated his words, saying them as though they were forced from her.

"The first option is that I lock you into one of these rooms and give you this piece of metal" he proceeded to take out of his pocket a twisted piece of wire like material and held it out for Orianna to see. "And with this you can pick the lock and let yourself out once we have gone"

"I'm afraid to ask, but what's the second option?"

"The second option is that you decide to run, leading me to start chase and ultimately catch you. If that is the case then you will be forcefully locked inside one of these rooms without the pleasure of having this piece of metal to get you out. Personally I think option one is best, but in the end it's your choice.

"Can I assume then, that if I choose option one, I can also choose the room?" Orianna knew that his suspicions would instantly arise but a plan was already formulating in her mind that needed his co-operation.

Tavis studied Orianna's face. There weren't any signs of deceit or coyness about her; just wide, vulnerable blue eyes looking carefully back at him. "Does it really matter?"

Orianna knew she had to play complete innocence, so she skilfully tilted her head towards the floor and pretended to smooth out the imaginary creases in her dress. "Well…it _does_ matters to me. You see, I've been on this boat for weeks and weeks so it's only natural that I've grown somewhat attached to one particular room. Since it's the first time I've ever been away from home, it's held a sense of security for me and the only place I'd feel in control in". Looking up through her lashes, Orianna silently pleaded with her eyes.

Not entirely won over by her plight, Tavis folded his arms and looked at her sceptically. "Pray tell which room is it?"

"The room only a few doors behind me, cabin number 42"

"Number 42…that wouldn't be your room now would it?"

"You're very observant, but yes, that is my room and it wouldn't be any different than locking me up in any of these other rooms would it now?"

Although still suspicious, he found himself complying with her request and he ushered her down the hallway up to where her room was. Orianna went to push open the oaken door but stopped halfway. "Before I go in, would you please hand over the metal pick lock? Nothing against your character or anything, it's just that I've always been taught not to trust criminals"

Tavis gave her an unamused look as he reached back into his pocket and pulled out the silver twisted creation. "One thing you should know about me is that I never go back on my word, never"

Orianna didn't doubt this statement but held out her hand anyway "Even so, haven't you ever heard the saying _its better to be safe than sorry_?"

Tavis had to smile at her frankness and slowly placed the metal piece into her waiting palm. Orianna muttered a soft thankyou before striding confidently into the room; after all, she still had her pride, right?

"What's going to happen now?" asked Orianna as she turned back around to face Tavis who was now leaning against the doorframe. "The only thing to do is to lock you in"

It was now time to set her plan in motion and knowing how far she'd have to go, Orianna took in a deep breath and slowly began to pace the room. "Before you do that, I'd just like to say….thankyou"

Seeing his confused expression, she knew she had taken the right approach.

"What are you thanking me for?" he questioned her warily.

Concealing a smile, Orianna worded what she said next carefully. "Well, for not going along with the…_ expected_ for a pirate"

"And that would be?"

It was at this stage that she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "To put it simply, you haven't taken what you could have".

Tavis was now starting to get frustrated at her insinuations that he couldn't understand. "I didn't think there was anything else to take, unless you have a suggestion?"

"Far from it, but I've heard the stories. You know the ones. Pirates taking advantage of every situation, especially where a woman is concerned… if you get my hint"

He finally understood and taking a few steps into the room, lazily ran his fingers along a small gilded mirror half hanging on the wall. "If you're thanking me for not taking what I have a right too, than you'll be quite surprised to find that that thought hadn't actually crossed my mind…_until now_."

As clichéd as it sounds, Orianna felt as though her whole body was tingling with a mix of anticipation and fear. Although being virtually oblivious about the thing commonly known as a male, she had picked up enough through her eighteen years of watching the women in her town, to know that a few simple looks and movements could catch the attention of almost any man. Praying that it would work, Orianna stretched her back in a seductive, silky motion making sure that her breasts were pressed up against the bodice in order to create an outline of their curves. Relaxing her body again she tilted her head to the side and let her half tied hair fall the side exposing creamy white skin. Then gently rubbing her neck in a motion many do when tired, Orianna closed her eyes to add emphasis.

Deciding she had made her point, Orianna opened her eyes and looked towards Tavis, only to be surprised at how intently he was gazing back at her.

Blushing slightly at her boldness, Orianna turned her back to him and slightly smiled as she heard him step closer to her. Not knowing what to expect next, she felt a small shiver as his hand reached out and ran along her back, lingering on the gentle curve of her waist. Orianna's mouth went dry as her mind struggled to remain in control. Turning herself around, she found herself almost pressed up against him. It took all her courage to lift her face up to meet his and when she did, her breath caught midway. Tavis was staring down at her with a dark searching expression. Orianna was vaguely aware as he cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips to meet hers.

Caught unaware, she attempted to struggle against him but found his hold on her too strong. As his kiss became deeper, Orianna found her resolve weakening until she gave over and lost herself in the sensation, not noticing the way that he pulled her closer until she was leaning up against him. Barely any clear thoughts ran through her head except one; this wasn't a part of the plan. Orianna quickly broke away as the reality of the situation hit her. Tavis, confused at the sudden change, looked at her questioningly, smirking lazily at the way her face had flushed from the contact.

Remembering the original plan, Orianna now no longer felt guilty for what she was about to do, that smirk of his was what did it for her. She began to slowly edge backwards towards a small wooden table next to the bed. She had at first intended to get him as far into the room as possible and preferably as close to her as possible. Although through unconventional means, Orianna had succeeded in doing this, and now, as she felt the hard edges of the table press into the back of her legs, step two was in process.

Tavis took her retreat as an invitation and stepped forward, closer to her. Orianna smiled as she felt around on the table behind her until her hand rested upon a cold metallic object. Grasping the lantern firmly in her hand, she waited for him to edge a few steps closer before muttering a simple apology for what she was about to do and before he could react, connected the heavy object with his head. Orianna watched horrified as he crumpled into a heap on the floor before worrying that she had killed him. Reaching down, she searched for and felt his pulse until assured that he was still alive.


	8. Caught by suprise

**I warn you now**: firstly the first few paragraphs are just fillers and not that interesting, but secondly, this chapter also has a bit of **violence** against Orianna, so if you don't want to read it, skip to the bottom. Please read it and hopefully you'll enjoy it. From this chapter on, the storyline and plot (romance included) becomes more developed and hopefully interesting. (Please tell me of any spelling mistakes so I can fix them up…thanks)

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_Tavis took her retreat as an invitation and stepped forward, closer to her. Orianna smiled as she felt around on the table behind her until her hand rested upon a cold metallic object. Grasping the lantern firmly in her hand, she waited for him to edge a few steps closer before muttering a simple apology for what she was about to do and before he could react, connected the heavy object with his head. Orianna watched horrified as he crumpled into a heap on the floor before worrying that she had killed him. Reaching down, she searched for and felt his pulse until assured that he was still alive._

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Orianna didn't exactly know the direction she was supposed to go in, something told her she was nearing the captain's room. Knowing that Tavis would suffer a somewhat painful headache when he woke up brought a smile to her face.

If everything went accordingly, she would find the captains command room with little difficulty. At first after leaving Tavis, she didn't know whether to run and hide again or to think up a plan.

After realizing that the crew and passengers were still locked up, she had made a decision to find the keys to let them out, that way the pirates wouldn't leave without a fair fight.

A severe chill ran through the whole of Orianna's body, causing her to rub the tingling skin as if it would ease the feeling left behind. The last time she had experienced such a violent feeling was when she was a little girl.

Abigail, her best friend at the time and herself were playing down near the local village lake. Since it was the middle of winter and the waters top was apparently frozen, Abigail had started running towards it intending to skid across its slippery surface. Orianna, laughing and following suite was overcome by an intense shivering reaction that made her stop in her tracks.

Even for a child of around eight, she knew well enough that it wasn't the bite of the frosty air that made her skin shudder, something was going to happen.

Orianna yelled out for her friend to stop but it was too late, Abigail had already reached the edges of the lake and was in the process of getting her feet on the ice.

Before attempting another call out to her, Orianna ran back up the hill and scanned the area for anyone that could help. Spotting a man cutting log wood just near the beginning of the forest, she turned and glanced at Abigail.

Although she was still safely skidding across the ice, Orianna knew something ominous was coming. Running as fast as her small feet could manage against the deep snow, she dashed her way until she was close enough to gain the man's attention.

Upon seeing an almost hysterical girl running towards him, the man put down his axe and yelled out if she was alright.

Orianna in the process of fighting against the ankle deep snow, babbled her tear ridden fears to the man causing him to swiftly pick her up over his shoulder and break into a run up to the lake.

Orianna fearing the worst had imagined seeing Abigail nowhere, only a large gaping hole in the ice; instead she was faced with a jovial Abigail, skidding and running from corner to corner, stopping when she saw the man and her friend.

Seeing the girl safe and well on the ice, the man gave a quizzical glance to Orianna who was red faced with causing such a futile alarm. Mumbling something under his breath about immaturity, he turned to leave but was stopped in his tracks when a sound of cracking ice and shrill screaming reached his ears.

Long story short, Abigail was eventually rescued, suffering from a bout of shock and an intense fever lasting weeks but that feeling, the one that feels as though a sack of ice was being poured over your bare skin, has forever stayed in Orianna's memory.

The similarity of the two sensations utterly disturbed her, and as with before she didn't ignore it, instead she walked on with more caution and swiftness than ever before. She had a good idea of where she was going but the likeness of each passageway made it difficult for her to be completely certain.

Orianna was partway between one of the hallways in question when a floor board creaked close behind her. Instantly flinging herself around, she was only faced with an oddly uncomfortable air of stillness; turning back wearily, she listened for any give away signs.

Continuing further only a few steps, Orianna was vaguely aware of a small number of soft pounding sounds and a slight whoosh behind her, before she was pulled to the ground by something heavy.

A mix of pure shock and fear made her motionless for a few moments before she regained her wits. Orianna tried to push herself up but the person holding her down had an impressive weight to his advantage, causing her to struggle for breath.

Attempting a slightly shrill scream for help, Orianna felt the mans hand swiftly cover her mouth at the same time as pulling her head back causing a small gasp of pain to catch in her throat.

The man now manoeuvred himself so that he sat on the small of Orianna's back, pinning her arms above her head with one arm and continuing to cover her mouth with the other.

Orianna wasn't stupid, she knew what he wanted to do; the possible outcomes of this situation made her sick to her stomach.

It was a secluded hallway near the back of the ship, rarely ventured in by anyone and now since everyone was locked away, her only chance was to fight…to fight hard and ruthless without a care of the consequences.

If the worst scenario still managed to occur then she'd know that she tried, she wasn't going to be easy prey to him: not now, not ever.

Orianna was still struggling as the man bent his face beside her ear and proceeded to whisper so quietly that she wasn't sure what she heard. A frustrated "what?" left her lips and he repeated himself, this time in his normal level of speech. "I said, has the little lass lost her way?"

Orianna refused to give him an answer, prompting him to place his knee hard into her shoulder blade. He laughed slightly as she squirmed beneath him.

Orianna now knew what he was about; he was a man that revelled in causing pain, choosing easy victims to inflict his cruelty…she had her work cut out for her.

"A fighter, are we?" he teased as she tried to free his grasp of her hands. "Girls like you should learn your place.

Immaturity and pigheadedness aren't attractive in females, neither is sneakiness. What did you expect to accomplish by running through the halls? Eh? Were you looking for something? Well I'll tell you what you found…" he paused.

Orianna, slightly puzzled at the silence, wasn't left waiting very long for an answer since the man in one swift motion rolled Orianna over so that she was now lying on her back.

Still pinning her down, he leaned only a few inches away from her face and with a disturbing smile, whispered in her ear, "you found me"

A feeling of intense fear caught hold of her as she realized that this would be the only chance she'd have before he attempted the unthinkable.

By immersing himself so deeply in his own twisted power play, he hadn't realised that by rolling Orianna over, he had exposed himself to the potential viciousness of her knee connecting with his most highly prized attachment.

His realization came soon enough as he instantly doubled over from the searing pain between his legs. Orianna took the opening and pushed him off before his brain could comprehend what she was doing.

Her body was shaking so much that she stumbled every few steps, struggling to get her legs to run.

This gave the now recovered beast the ability to catch up and before Orianna knew it, she was fiercely pushed forward by the man whose temper was now more volatile than she dared imagine.

She was consequently hurled into the wall, faltering backwards until she regained her balance; a sudden rush of pain started from one of her ribs.

Clutching the injured area and being in no state to run without him catching her again, Orianna blocked herself against the pain and pitched herself at him, managing to get one good connection between her fist and his face.

Swearing viciously, the man grabbed both her arms and pulled her to the ground but before he had a proper grip on her, Orianna moved herself so that his grip slacked and she fled his grasp.

Running with a slight hobble in the opposite direction to the front of the boat, she could hear him start pursuit. _'Doesn't he ever just give up?'_

Turning a corner and seeing a familiar stretch of hallway bearing the number 42 cabin, Orianna managed a smile before he lunged for her, only managing to grab hold of her skirt, which inturn pulled her down.

As she fell to the ground, her head scraped the very edge of one of the walls and she gasped at the sudden pain. Orianna laid there, her whole body feeling weak and tired as the man slowly approached and stood over her; a victorious sneer crowning his thin lips.

Feeling something trickle down along the edge of her face, Orianna's hand began to wipe it away, only to stop when she saw a dark red shade smudged upon her fingers.

"Can you feel that?" He asked casually. "That to me feels like the woman is finally where she belongs….at my feet, isn't that right".

Orianna felt like grabbing his head and putting it somewhere anatomically impossible. She was just about to voice her thoughts when the man grabbed her by one arm and pulled her up, pushing her against the wall.

Taken by surprise, Orianna only just turned her head in time before he attempted to put his filthy lips on hers. Even the feel of his lips on her cheek made Orianna's stomach turn.

Disgust and anger mixed up within her until finally, she gripped his shoulders and pushed him into the opposite wall, taking the breath out of him.

Feeling a bit queasy, Orianna went to turn away when the man in a fast reflex, circled his arm around her waist and brought her violently to the floor.

'Not again', she grumbled out as the pain following from the fall pounded through her whole body; her head feeling the worst since it was the first to meet with the hard wooden floor. The man now lifted himself up and got to his feet, staring down coldly at her limp form.

Knowing that her will to fight was starting to lessen with sheer exhaustion, she decided there and then that this was her last chance for escape.

Summoning as much strength as possible, Orianna once again aimed her foot for the one place in particular known to cause a great effect.

With more force than she knew she had, she kicked him so hard that, from the surprise and pain ridden impact, the man was flung backwards into the wall and justly fell into a tight ball on the floor.

Orianna lifted herself off the floor and walked over to his foetus like form and proceeded to kick him hard in the back, then his legs with desperate anger, wanting him to hurt more than her body was.

Still trembling and feeling faint, she ran, well a run that was expected for her state, up the hallway until she was exposed to small passage way leading up to the stairs for the deck.

Skilfully pulling her-self up by the hand rails, she managed to reach the top and managed a few small steps into the dark, cold night before she crumpled to the floor, on the brink of unconsciousness.

In all her confused state, she hadn't realized all the stunned pirates that were watching the scene unfold, speechless as she fell hard onto the floor, beginning to worry when she didn't move from then on.



Captain Rebus had just finished attending to his sons bruised and throbbing head. He had come across the strange sight as he patrolled the ship for any left behind treasures that the other men may have overlooked.

To say he was surprised to see his unconscious son lying on the floor, in the middle of a deserted hallway, wouldn't even come close.

After procuring a small pot of smelling salts from his belt bag, Rebus had successfully roused his son until Tavis was able to stand on his own two feet without relying on his father's arm.

Deciding to ask questions later when they had more time for a full explanation, he and his son had started making their way back to the rest of the crew.

Midway, a small crew boy came running hurriedly towards them, uttering words so fast that it took him two tries at it for Captain Rebus to fully understand the situation. "Captain…Captain, hurry, there's a woman, she…she's bleeding, she's not moving, captain help". Sensing the urgency of the situation and although not completely understanding what the boy was on about, Rebus quickly followed the young messenger, with Tavis trailing close behind.

Upon reaching the deck, Rebus and Tavis had to physically push through the crowd surrounding the girl until they finally sighted a small form being supported in the arms of one of the crewmen.

Edging closer to the lass, Rebus' chest tightened as he saw her bruised and slightly blood tinged appearance. Looking to his son standing beside him, he saw Tavis looking more shocked and affected than any man standing around.

"Do you know the lass?" he finally asked, suspecting an earlier connection than first let on. Although Tavis had assured his father when they first met up during the raid, that he had made no contact with anyone aboard, Rebus now saw that his son may have withheld from him.

His father's voice had brought him out of his thoughts and Tavis quickly covered his emotions with an unaffected mask.

"Not very much, her name is Orianna or something similar. I ran into her a few times and she was the one who so very graciously gave me this earlier on", he said, gesturing to his bruised forehead.

"She had hidden in the dining room during the raid and went looking for a safer place to hide when I came across her". Looking around he saw the accusing eyes of the crew and quickly understood his mistake.

"Don't worry, I wasn't the one who did this to her, god no. The last thing I saw of her was when she was about to connect a lantern with my head after I tried to block her escape, how she got like this…I have no idea."

Satisfied with his answer to a certain extent, Rebus then called out to two of the cabin boys and instructed them to run and fetch a pitcher of water, some cloths and bandages.



I finally have an idea of where this story is going, so in the future there's going to be more answers, plotline and romance (the love/hate kind). Thankyou to everyone that's reviewed (youse are all beautiful, brilliant and magnificent) so if you've read the story, review if you want to, I'd really appreciate it.


	9. A bit of a problem

_His father's voice had brought him out of his thoughts and Tavis quickly covered his emotions with an unaffected mask._

"_Not very much, her name is Orianna or something similar. I ran into her a few times and she was the one who so very graciously gave me this earlier on" gesturing to his bruised forehead._

"_She had hidden in the dining room during the raid and went looking for a safer place to hide when I came across her" looking around he saw the accusing eyes of the crew and quickly understood his mistake._

"_Don't worry, I wasn't the one who did this to her, god no. The last thing I saw of her was when she was about to connect a lantern with my head after I tried to block her escape, how she got like this…I have no idea."_

_Satisfied with his answer to a certain extent, Rebus then called out to two of the cabin boys and instructed them to run and fetch a pitcher of water, some cloths and bandages._

* * *

Rebus slowly walked across his ships deck and tiredly rubbed his face.

Stifling a yawn he surveyed his crew. About five or so were still loading the cargo from one ship to another while the others were getting the ship ready to set sail.

Looking at each man he saw that none looked to be the type to ravage a woman in such a horrendous way. They were a strange bunch he had to admit, but none were known to be violent, he had made sure of that when he chose them.

As he walked along, Rebus couldn't help but feel anxious for the young lass in his care. He had stayed with Orianna as she was seen to by one of his own ships physicians and didn't leave her side until she was declared clear of any serious injures.

He felt a sense of fatherly protectiveness come over him as he saw the number of bruises colouring her skin. Rebus had to admit that it had been a long night especially with having to make sure everything was in order on the royal avenue and that all his men were accounted for, so after seeing the young woman properly taken care of, turned to the next matter of attention.

Tavis was absently leaning against the ships rail and staring out into the horizon; dawns light was just starting to make an appearance.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Rebus said aloud, breaking the silence between the two.

Tavis slightly turned his face to look at his father; although age had added on a few lines and slight amounts of grey hair, it hadn't changed the air of strength about him. Turning his gaze back out to the calm waters, Tavis knew his father was waiting for him to initiate the conversation. "How is she?"

Smiling slightly, Rebus breathed in deeply the scent of the ocean. "She's still unconscious, but the doctor said that it was only tiredness and shock that's keeping her in it. I couldn't believe the sight of her little body covered in so many bruises. When she wakes we'll have to find out who did this to her."

Tavis nodded slightly but then frowned. "What if she doesn't wake for another several hours? We can't just wait around here until she rouses; even you know that, we have to set off as soon as possible."

Rebus made a slight mumble of an agreement; he was still hesitant to tell his son his idea…well more like arrangement.

"That fact hasn't escaped Tavis. When the men finish loading the ship with the possessions, then we _will_ leave...plus one."

Tavis turned and looked searchingly at his father, narrowing his eyes before saying, "Plus one?"

Rebus stared determinedly at the water, refusing to look at his son; he could already tell what the reaction would be.

"We have to bring her on board".

Tavis made sound halfway between a choke and a, 'what'.

Rebus smiled to himself and prepared for the coming argument. "We can't exactly just leave her here can we? After all aren't we, well one of us, responsible for what happened to her?"

Tavis gave his father a dark look. "Don't use guilt to push your argument, after all, how do we know it wasn't another escaped passenger?"

Rebus was astonished at his sons' nerve. "Come off it now, even you know that's full of crap".

Tavis merely shrugged his shoulders. "Of course I know. It's just that not only will she be a liability and a damn responsibility, but god knows how many other problems she'll cause. We took so much care in choosing the crew before we left and what if she finds out? Where would we be then?"

"Even if the lass did find out", Rebus replied, "there's hardly a thing she could do; after all, she wouldn't understand it in the first place. To her, what were looking for is only known in superstition and the odd ghost story; she wouldn't expect it to be a reality now would she?"

Tavis considered his fathers point. "It's just too risky. Oh and another thing…. what would she do for the whole time? We can't keep her locked up until we reach the next port".

"I've thought of that too".

"You have?"

Rebus rolled his eyes at his son. "Yes my boy I have. She can do the odd job here and there, help out whoever needs help. I've also planned it so she would help the cook out with making and serving dinners, who as you know, always complains about doing it by him-self".

Tavis smiled slightly. "You've really thought about it haven't you?"

Rebus nodded and waited for Tavis' next argument. It came soon enough…

"What about the men. Even you have to admit that she's attractive…it'll be too much of a temptation to resist for them. I don't know about you, but I don't want to risk having her preyed upon and have the guilt upon my shoulders".

"Leave that problem up to me", Rebus replied curtly

Tavis immediately became suspicious. "Why, what are you going to do?"

"You'll find out in due course", was his offhand answer.

Tavis grumbled something under his breath, before letting out a slight groan.

"I know that you'll still go ahead with your plan no matter how much I'm against it, so all I am going to say is, if she does do something wrong...which she will, then I have every right to say _I told you so_."

Rebus looked at his son and had to shake his head at his stubbornness. "If that's what it takes, then so be it".

Rebus reached out and attempted to pat down Tavis' hair as would a parent to a little child. "I could never understand why your hair refuses to be neat; it always looks as if you've just got out of bed or had a woman run her hands through it."

"I guess it just likes to have its way, that's all", replied Tavis before turning away and heading towards the rest of the men who were currently loading the remaining cargo onto the ship.



"Hello"….. "Helloo"…. "Hey, I know you can hear me…don't pretend that you can't"…. "Halloo"….. "Let me out, please" …….. "Hello"….

Orianna was currently and unsuccessfully trying to get someone to unlock the door that was the precious barrier between the small dark room she was currently presiding, and the outside world.

Frustration finally got the best of her:

"That's it! I said let me out or so help me…you'll be...you'll be sorry… (Thunk)

Her foot connecting with the thick door barely made a sound, but instead, left a pulsating pain sensation to resound up through her foot and along her leg.

Orianna then changed tactics. Putting her back up against the door, she attempted to push. She knew it was a futile attempt, but she needed to try. She had barely begun to push when the pain from her bruised back reminded her of her present injuries.

Giving up, Orianna settled herself on the floor while still leaning up against the door. Although it was dark inside the room, her eyes had adjusted to an extent, in which she could pick out a few odd shapes and objects.

Turning her head slightly either side, Orianna could faintly pick out the outlines of what looked to be massive sacks and barrels leaning up against the walls, while odd shapes swung gently from the ceiling above her.

The first thing Orianna had noticed when she had woken up was the heavy and thick smell of onions and dried meat. By now surveying the room in more detail, she guessed it to be a storage room for food or something similar.

Upon awakening in the cold, dark and considerably small room only a few hours before, Orianna had been too preoccupied with being nervous and then frustrated to notice the state of her body.

Placing her hands on her lap, Orianna gently ran her fingers over each hand and winced when she came upon her knuckles. From what she could tell they were either scuffed or grazed since it was rough to the touch. Moving one hand up along her left arm, Orianna noted with cringe worthy pain, every time her hand would run over a bruise.

Her hand had finally reached her face but Orianna could already imagine what she looked like. She knew she had a bruised and cut lip as well as probably having a long gash along the side of her forehead from falling against the corner of one of the walls. Feeling deflated and sore, Orianna wanted nothing more than to be where she belonged; at home.

'_How did everything go so terribly wrong?' _she mused quietly to herself.



Tavis was below deck in his father's official navigational room. The room was quiet and out of the way…perfect to get business in order. A slight rasp at the door brought him out of his work stupor and back to reality.

"Come in".

The door slowly creaked open and in stepped a burly, round eyed man.

"Sorry to bother you sir but there's a bit of a problem".

Tavis furrowed his brow. "Problem?"

"Aye sir and it's a bit embarrassing to admit to you. You see, I have to prepare breakfast for the men and in order to do so…well….I have to use the store room"

Tavis still didn't understand the problem. "And that creates a problem because…."

"Well there's a mad woman in there", Came the weary reply from the cook

Tavis couldn't help himself from laughing, _'so that's where he put her'_

Turning his attention back to the cook, he replied. "A mad woman you say? Well that does create a problem...don't worry yourself about it…I'll handle it myself. "

The cook couldn't hide his relief, "Thank you sir, much appreciated".

Once the cook left, Tavis was still smiling to himself. Getting up out of the chair, he walked over to the door and remembering his father's earlier conversation, said to no one in particular. "See, she's already started to create a problem".

* * *

Thankyou to everyone that's still reading this story and especially to those that review…please keep doing so, I really need your feedback(please point out any spelling mistakes so I can go back and fix them)

I'm really sorry this chapter took so long to get posted but I had a complete blank about what to write. I didn't know how to explain what's going to happen to her and also introduce Tavis and Rebus more into the story. I hope I did it ok. There's a twist with the pirate crew plot so there's a reason why they don't seem so scoundrel like. I'll try to make next chapter longer and please tell me what you think so far... (Hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year)


	10. We need what we need

"Aye sir and it's a bit embarrassing to admit to you. You see, I have to prepare breakfast for the men and in order to do so…well….I have to use the store room"

Tavis still didn't understand the problem, "and that creates a problem because…."

"Well there's a mad woman in there", Came the weary reply from the cook

Tavis couldn't help himself from laughing, _'so that's where he put her'_

Turning his attention back to the cook, he replied "A mad woman you say? Well that does create a problem...don't worry yourself about it….I'll handle it myself"

The cook couldn't hide his relief, "Thank you sir, much appreciated"

Once the cook left, Tavis was still smiling to himself. Getting up out of the chair, he walked over to the door and remembering his father's earlier conversation, said to no one in particular "see, she's already started to create a problem"

* * *

Orianna was starting to get exceptionally bored. After her failed attempt at getting someone to open the door, she had slowly and carefully walked around the small room trying to guess what was there by the touch of her fingers.

Going back to the far end of the cramped room, Orianna sat down on the makeshift bed put there for her. Resting her chin on her hands, she tried to think of something to do. Her mind was too tired and unsettled to think straight, so all she was left with was constant broken ideas.

Tavis had walked up the stairs leading to the deck and was now starting to head towards the store room.

Rebus and two other men were standing nearby, discussing the inventory of all the stolen items when they saw Tavis stride by with a dark look on his face. One of the men turned to see where he was heading and nudged the man beside him before saying, "he's going to see the girl".

The other man turned and a large grin appeared on his face, "do you think there'll be a fight? She seemed a little touchy this morning with all her ranting".

The other man nodded his head slightly before turning to Rebus who also had his eyes upon Tavis. "Do you think Rebus that we should give Tavis a little moral support? After all, we wouldn't like to see it go out of hand."

Rebus eyed the two questioning men; a devilish twinkle appeared in both their eyes. "The lot of youse are scoundrels, can't resist a good fight can you?"

After a few seconds of intentional silence, Rebus smiled. "By the look of my son, it's the girl that'll need our support".

Tavis had finally reached the store room which looked just like a small square box, placed near the back of the ship. He raised his arm and hesitated for a moment before finally knocking on the door.

Orianna's head perked up at the sound. Thinking she misheard, she called out a whisper of a "hello".

Waiting for an answer, Orianna finally heard a familiar male voice call out,

"I came to check on how you are".

It was at this point that Tavis noticed his father and two other men had come to stand behind him. Turning to them, he gestured with his head for them to leave but they refused. _'Typical'_, muttered Tavis to himself.

Orianna dashed off the bed and came to stand only a foot or so away from the door, anticipation and fear coursing through her.

"I'm fine so far", Orianna said through the door.

"What do you mean so far?" Tavis asked, already guessing her answer.

"Well _you_ are a pirate", Orianna stated sardonically

Tavis smiled slightly. "We're not going to do anything to you, so you don't have to worry"

"If all the stories I've been told about your kind are true, then you're lying". Orianna chewed her lip, knowing she might have said the wrong thing.

Tavis frowned. _'Who does she think she is saying **your kind**?'_

"You'd be quite surprised to find how wrong those stories were, we are what you'd call, the _exception to the rule_"

Orianna was silent for a moment, her mind turning with recent memories.

She remembered hiding under the dining cart and listening to Rebus talking in the hallway.

'_Hadn't they said that the captain and the crew were all taken care of?_', but then again she thought, '_Tavis never raised a hand to me or even used force when he had the chance to_'.

These thoughts continued to challenge each other unsuccessfully.

Looking around, she realised that maybe the safest place to be after all, was in the small dark room. _'And in a silly way'_, she mused,_ 'it protects me from reality'_

"Are you willing to come out?" called Tavis, breaking Orianna's thoughts.

"Are you willing to walk into a knife?" she called back, causing him to scowl at the door.

"For the last time, I'm not going to hurt you"

"Its not _you_ I'm worried about, it's everyone else." She called out, and Orianna meant it.

She hadn't forgotten about the man who tried to practically rape her, the sore bruises a constant reminder.

She had no idea what had happened to him; had he been caught or was he still wandering around somewhere out there. And it wasn't only him, what if the other men were exactly the same…

"What's the worst they could do to you?" replied Tavis without thinking.

"Possibly kill me?" she said truthfully.

Tavis shook his head in disbelief. "They might slap you a few times for being so senseless, but they wouldn't kill you."

Orianna glared at the door and bit her lip to stop herself from countering back

Rebus gave Tavis a dark look. "Don't be so harsh to the girl, she's just being wary"

Tavis took a deep breath to calm his self down

"I give you my word as a...ah", it was at this point that he stumbled, and Orianna even in the darkness, frowned at his loss of words.

Looking at his son, Rebus quickly covered and called out, "we give you _our_ word as pirates; no harm will befall you as long as you are in our care".

For some reason, Orianna knew they would be true to their word, but caution still held her back.

"And how long will that be?" She was hesitant to voice the question, her voice faltering as soon as it left her lips.

Tavis shrugged his shoulders before realizing that she couldn't see him.

"Until we reach the next port and from there, you are free to do as you like. The trouble with that is, we still haven't chosen which port we're going to settle for, so it could be a matter of weeks before you see land again".

Orianna nodded her head in the darkness. She stood there silently, thinking about her next move. '_Should I or shouldn't I?' _She thought pensively.

"Before I come out I want you to tell me who you all are, and what's going to happen to me"

Tavis was beginning to get fed up with how long it was taking

"Well right now standing with me is my father Rebus and two other crew men waiting for you to come out so they can lock you up and have their way with you"

The two men standing beside Tavis had to stifle a laugh when Rebus puffed out his chest and came to stand beside his guilty looking son.

"I thought I told you to go easy on her. You and your sick sense of humour are just making things worse. I don't think she sees the funny side of your remarks at all, just stay quiet and watch how I do it."

Tavis ran a hand through his dark hair and gestured with a sweeping arm for his father to take centre stage

"I'm sorry m'dear for my son's juvenile behaviour, although at twenty three, he _should_ know better." Rebus sent the person in question a condescending look to which Tavis only tightly smiled.

"If you would just come out, you could see for yourself what we're about. For today, you can come and go, in and out of that room as you please, but tomorrow, you'll be expected to start doing some jobs around the ship. Even though you are an unwilling passenger, and we understand that, you will still have to assist with onboard duties until we reach the next port".

Orianna took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. The fact that she wasn't going to be a prisoner was the key fact to her willingness to step outside. Slowly moving to the doors handle, Orianna grasped it in her hand before calmly asking for someone to unlock the door.

Rebus pulled out a small metal key from the breast pocket of his tunic and walked over to the door. Sliding the key in the lock, he turned it to the left until a faint "click" could be heard. Orianna grasped the handle tighter before turning it and slowly pushing the door open.

The sight she was greeted with almost made her laugh aloud. Rebus was standing there with his bulky stature waiting with a giant grin on his face.

The two other men were peering cautiously from behind him, their wide eyes giving away their curiosity. Tavis she noticed was standing to the far side looking closely at her before covering it up with a detached look.

Unsure about what to do and feeling a bit awkward, Orianna just stood there. Before she could muster the courage to ask 'what now', she saw Tavis moving towards her.

"Wait, what are you doing?" She said, trailing off and taking a step back.

With an undeniable coldness that even surprised her, Tavis merely told her that he needed to get some food for the cook. "After all", he said, "we need what we need".

If it was Orianna's imagination, she didn't know, but she could've sworn he looked her straight in the eyes, before running his gaze over her body. A slight shiver prickled her skin as he walked past her and into the store room.

Rebus couldn't hear what his son said to the young girl but he saw the look that Tavis gave her. At that moment, he knew that if Tavis kept acting the way he did around Orianna, then he'd have no problem implementing his plan to keep all the other men away.

* * *

Another short filler chapter….I know, but it was a necessary one. I now have the grounds for starting the story line and especially the ROMANCE. I've been waiting so long to actually have free reign with the romance so maybe not next chapter but certainly the ones after will have a lot of Orianna and Tavis scenarios (hopefully you'll like them) 

I was just wondering what you think of Orianna's character. Rebus it the fatherly type, Tavis is the handsome yet roguish man but I don't know if I've really described Orianna's character. Please read review and tell me how you think the story is going and have a good holiday. Bye

(I'm now writing up another story called the _etiquette of lies_ so if you're interested please read it because I need A LOT of feedback for that story)


	11. A bucket for your fears

"_Wait, what are you doing?" She said, trailing off and taking a step back._

_With an undeniable coldness that even surprised her, Tavis merely told her that he needed to get some food for the cook. "After all", he said, "we need what we need"._

_If it was Orianna's imagination, she didn't know, but she could've sworn he looked her straight in the eyes, before running his gaze over her body. A slight shiver prickled her skin as he walked past her and into the store room._

_Rebus couldn't hear what his son said to the young girl but he saw the look that Tavis gave her. At that moment, he knew that if Tavis kept acting the way he did around Orianna, then he'd have no problem implementing his plan to keep all the other men away._

* * *

A day had already gone by, and as Orianna lay awake in her uncomfortable little makeshift bed early in the morning, she musingly thought about the day before.



Orianna had been given free reign to explore the ship and did so without any hesitation. It was a large ship and just like the Royal Avenue, it had many rooms and hallways beneath the deck to investigate.

Orianna had started from the top and slowly made her way down. She explored anywhere and everywhere until she knew exactly where the kitchen was (food was first priority) and she eventually even knew where the crews' sleeping quarters were --- she got whistles by some of the men as she had walked past.

She had practically scoured the whole entirety of the ship until nothing was left to be searched. By the end of it, Orianna had nothing else to do but wander aimlessly about and start interrogation style conversations with anyone who had the time.

For the most part, she was left much to herself and nobody paid much attention as she had walked on by. Rebus finally approached her in the evening and asked her to follow him. Finding it a strange request, Orianna followed; curiosity getting the better of her.

Rebus calmly and quietly led her back down to the map room or as he told her, "The navigational room". Upon entering, Orianna saw four or five large oaken trunks sitting to one side of the room. Looking at Rebus questioningly, he only smiled kindly and ushered her over to the boxes.

"Although we _are_ men, we do know that women can't exactly go around in the same clothes for weeks on end. So I got a few cabin boys to search through our _newly arrived stock_ to find any trunks belonging to ladies."

Gesturing with his hand he said, "And these are it".

Orianna looked down at the trunks and after some deliberation finally asked, "If I'm to do chores around the ship tomorrow, can I at least wear breeches and a tunic? My father let me wear them at home so could I……?"

Rebus laughed. "You mean could you wear them here? Certainly you could and it's a very logical idea at that. I'll let you go through these first for any dresses and such that you'd want, and later I'll take you to where the other trunks are. Okay?"

Orianna turned back to the boxes before her, and nodded her head. "Okay".

Rebus had left her to search the trunks, and for the next couple of hours she had sorted through and collected a fine collection of dresses, skirts and even the odd shoe.



Back to the present, Orianna had pulled herself out of the stiff little bed, and was starting to sort through the pile of clothes lying simply at the foot of her bed. She had yet to figure out where to put them, so on the floor is where they were to stay until then. Selecting a simple white tunic and black breeches, Orianna eyed a corset lying nearby. It was an evil contraption, but a necessary one especially with all the men around.

Finally putting on the socks and shoes supplied by a young cabin boy the previous day, Orianna was ready. When I say ready, I mean appearance wise, because mentally she was far from ready.

A small sliding bolt had been placed inside the small room for her to lock during the night and now sliding out the heavy metal bar, Orianna stepped outside into the crisp and slightly dark morning. It was early dawn and only a fraction of the men were out on the deck; the rest were still probably having their morning meal which Orianna decided to skip on for today.

Having been given her instructions the day before, Orianna now accordingly set off to the supply room- for a mop and its renowned partner; the bucket.



"What's your story?" Rebus asked out of the blue later that day, startling Orianna from her routine of - mop into bucket onto floor and back into bucket.

"What do you mean?" Orianna asked naively; she knew exactly what he meant but wanted to stall the inevitable.

Rebus rubbed his slight shadow of a beard, trying to decide how to phrase his next choice of words.

"Well it strikes me as a bit odd that a young woman such as yourself, is travelling by herself across an entire ocean".

Orianna nodded her head slightly and decided to go for the simple explanation. "It's a family matter that brought me here."

Rebus became suspicions at her short and indirect answer. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Orianna hesitated briefly. What she could've said is that she was crossing the big blue ocean in order to find and obliterate a demonic like spirit that killed her mother. But under the current circumstances, she decided to leave that part out.

"No not really. It's just something I have to do…to, 'settle a score', as the saying goes."

Hoping that Rebus got the hint at her reluctance to talk about it, Orianna was dismayed when he then asked another question.

"Your family isn't worried that you're out here alone?"

Orianna was quiet for a few moments. "That's a tricky question to answer. Firstly not even I know where I am and secondly, I've only got my father to worry about and well…he…he knows that I need to do this".

Rebus eyed her with doubt. "Nice way of skirting around my question".

Orianna blushed deeply, refusing to look Rebus in the eyes.

"Its personal, that's all".

Rebus made to say something but closed his mouth soon after, a pensive look etched on his features. Nodding thoughtfully, he reached out and gently squeezed Orianna's arm in a fatherly gesture before walking away, humming softly to himself.

Orianna watched him as he went, a hint of a smile sitting on her lips, but a feeling of reservation in her mind. She had come _too_ close to revealing too much to him.



After a few hours had gone by, Orianna was still found mopping away at the oaken floorboards of the deck; grumbling and cursing to herself.

It had taken hours to do just one end since the men kept spilling glue and the odd splash of lacquer while doing reconstruction along the ship, and she still had most of the other end to complete.

Tavis had just finished completing his father's inventory books in the map room, when he decided to go up on the deck and check with the ships navigator for their location.

After travelling so long and so far, they were now getting closer to finding out the location of the deathly shadow…so close that just at the thought of it, anticipation coursed through Tavis' body.

On his way, he had caught sight of Orianna looking darkly at the floor while mopping away. Seeing an opportunity to provoke the woman, Tavis casually walked over to her.

"Try not to spill too much water onto the wood; it takes too long to dry and it's a waste of the lather", Said a familiar voice from behind her.

Realizing who it was, Orianna turned and looked darkly at Tavis, while he only smirked back.

"Anything…else?" .She grumbled through clenched teeth.

Tavis half smiled and tapped his lip in mock thought. "Well now that you mention it, you could be a little faster. I know you're a woman and all, but even a blind, one armed old man would be finished by now".

She was tempted to smack him over the head with the mop; her mind was savouring the delectable image.

"If you don't mind, I've got work to do", she stated in annoyance. With that, Orianna calmly picked up the wooden bucket, placed the mop under her arm and set of in a straight posture (as some women tend to do when angry) to the other end of the ship.

Tavis stared at her retreating form, taking pleasure in the way her hips would sway gently as she walked.

As Orianna walked along, she knew Tavis had watched her walk away. Although she scolded herself for it, her mind kept wandering to thoughts of the irritable man in question.

He was down right infuriating, but, and to her dismay, he was as handsome as anything. Even as they had fought, Orianna's eyes had kept wandering over his face, lingering over his mouth and his eyes.

Mentally shaking herself, Orianna took in a deep breath of the fresh sea air.

"Watch out miss", said a burly looking man as he carefully walked past her with a large plank of wood balancing precariously on his shoulder.

"Hold on, I'll help", Orianna called out, wanting a distraction from thinking of Tavis.

Dropping her mop, she rushed over to him and held the back end of the heavy plank, and for the next few hours, she to some extent, helped some of the men to repair a broken section of the ship's side.

Although she was mainly used to fetch things for the men, Orianna had kept at it until the job was finished, mainly to wear her-self out. She wanted nothing more than to pass the next couple of weeks in a state of work and sleep.

She didn't want to feel or to think because to do either would be dangerous when mixed with boredom.

Once that job was completed, Orianna had wandered back over to the sad looking mop to resume her previous task.

As she prepared to plunge the mop back into the bucket for more lather, Orianna's eye caught sight of a shadowy figure lurking near the store room…her room.

Thinking that it was just her imagination, Orianna looked again to prove her-self right.

Catching a quick glimpse at the shape, her whole body constricted in frozen fear. _'It's…it's him'_, she thought numbly. Coming to her senses, Orianna turned her head searchingly for anyone nearby.

As fate should have it, no one was so close as to call out for. Turning back to the store room, Orianna was shocked to find that the man had disappeared. Shaking her head slightly, Orianna slowly walked over to where she had seen the figure and was dismayed to find no sign of him.

Now at this point of the story, you as the reader might think that she should go straightaway and tell Rebus of this strange occurrence, but what you should know is that Orianna didn't know what to believe. Her logic told her it was just her tired mind playing tricks on her, but something inside told her it was much more…

A bit shaken and confused, Orianna walked back over to her bucket and with her mind still on the shadowy figure of her attacker, she mindlessly attempted to put the mop into the pail. This resulted in the mop hitting the edge of the bucket and tipping it over, spilling the soapy contents around her feet.

Tavis had chanced to see this scene unfold and walked over to her, mumbling to himself words along the line of , "Hopeless…that woman I tell you….I knew she was going to be a problem….why didn't anyone listen".

Upon reaching her, Travis was troubled to find that she had barely registered the water soaking at her feet; a blank expression clouded over her pale face. Concerned, Tavis reached out and lifted her chin so that her eyes were now level with his.

"What happened?" he asked demandingly.

Orianna vacantly looked Tavis in the eyes and seeing the intensity of which he was staring back at her, realised he had asked her a question.

"Pardon?"

"What's going on with you?" He asked again, letting his hand drop from her face; a gentle shiver had run up his arm.

"Oh …nothing, I just…I just got lost inside my head, that's all…why?"

Tavis motioned towards the damp puddled ground around them. "That's why".

Orianna felt mortification rise to her cheeks in the form of a deep flush as she realised what she'd done.

"I didn't realize, I…" She let her words fade into nothingness as she didn't know how to explain it to him.

Tavis didn't say anything; he only shook his head and turned to walk away.

As he walked, Tavis shook his arm slightly, trying to convince himself that the slight shiver when he had touched her face…never happened.



The man who had been lurking about and who had also been the cause of Orianna's fear was none other than Kirk, the brute of a man (if you could call him a man) who had bruised up Orianna in the hallways of Royal Avenue.

Having successfully evaded Orianna's sight for a day and a half, he was now set to go on the rampage. To his twisted, small, small mind, Orianna had bruised his manhood (in more ways than one) and now, he had his own plan to get back at her.

After Orianna had turned her attention from him to look for help, Kirk had slinked into the shadowy depth of the store room, planning to maliciously surprise the young woman when she went in for the night.

'_If all goes well'_, Kirk thought snidely to himself, '_then by the morning, the little lass will know whose boss"._

_

* * *

_

Dun, Dun, Dun… what will happen? To all the _extremely_ patient readers of this story, I'll let you on a little secret. Next chapter Orianna will have her first kiss (I wonder with who) as well as the announcement of Rebus' little plan. I know this chapter took a long time to come, but school had once again started (tear) and I'm afraid the next few chapter will be taking their time to be posted. (I apologize in advance). Please, PLEASE review and just tell me what you think and anything you want me to explain more about (such as Orianna's past or even the raid), or any chapters I should go over and fix/ add more to. See youse later. Bye

(P.S) sorry if this chapter rambled on a bit in places; I rushed to finish it...but I hope you all noticed the hint about what Tavis is searching for (does it remind you of something? hmmm)


	12. Swept away

After Orianna had turned her attention from him to look for help, Kirk had slinked into the shadowy depth of the store room planning to maliciously surprise Orianna when she went in for the night.

'_If all goes well'_, Kirk thought snidely to himself, '_then by the morning, the little lass will know whose boss"._

* * *

A hazy darkness had painted the evening sky, signifying that night was close by. Orianna slowly and tiredly walked out of the crowded and cigar hazed dining hall. The hall was a large room beneath the deck that had three long tables running across its length and it was there that the men sat each morning, afternoon and evening to eat their respective and somewhat bland meals (it was a known rule at meal times that you didn't look too closely at what you were eating). 

Orianna continued to walk languidly along the hallway and then advanced up the stairs and onto the deck. A gentle wind beckoned Orianna to the banister and she stood there contentedly, watching the gentle rhythms of the dark oceans water. Letting out a deep sigh, she rubbed her eyes tiredly; the day had taken its heavy toll.

As Orianna stood there in the dark, an out-of-tune song had started up in the dining hall; the men were screaming the words more than they were singing them. It was an old traditional sailor's song, but the tune was strong; someone had brought out an accordion and was now playing alongside the men's coarse voices. Looking around timidly, Orianna didn't see a soul and with a bit of hesitation, she started to gently sway with the music.

Two pairs of eyes were watching her that night; one was of a silvery grey that watched her with hungry fascination and the other was a pair of eyes- black as a moonless night, waiting for that sensuous creature to walk into his trap.

'It feels good to dance', Orianna admitted to herself as she finally stopped moving to the music. Shaking her head, she laughed slightly at herself and felt embarrassed even though no one was around. Her body was now more worn out than ever before…she knew she needed sleep and she needed it now.

Walking slowly over to the storeroom that had become her home away from home, Orianna trailed her fingers along the wooden banister as she went. Whispering a tired goodnight to the crisp winter night, she then turned away and walked over the matchbox sized compartment, formally known as her room.

Turning the doors handle and lazily pushing it open, Orianna barely registered that it hadn't rebounded off the wall. Little did she know that the door had instead rebounded off Kirk - knocking the breath out of him.

Walking down the two steps leading into the room, Orianna closed the door and yawned contentedly. Since there was no candle or lamp in the small room, she had to slowly and carefully manoeuvre her way to the small bed in the corner. Frowning slightly, Orianna stood still in the room…something didn't feel right.

Hearing a slight jostle near the door, Orianna realised the feeling was right…something was off. Reaching out for something to protect herself with, Orianna was relieved to feel her fingers come across the long handle of a broom. Taking a deep breath and calming herself down, she boldly called out to the pitch black room. "What do you want?"

A creepy snicker echoed around the small room and Orianna instinctively gripped the broom tighter in her hands.

"So you're back for more are you?" She jested, sounding more confident than she actually felt. Truth be told, her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest that she wouldn't have been surprised if the man himself could hear it.

"So you're not going to run from me this time", he snidely observed.

Orianna glared at him in the darkness. "Nah, I decided it would be a lot more fun to knock a little bit of sense into that small mind of yours".

Hearing no reply from the man, Orianna took a step back and felt the cold wall come up against her back.

Although she couldn't see him, she could sense that he was edging closer to her. Having the advantage of being familiar with the room, Orianna knew that the handle of the broom could reach more than halfway across the room. This being the case, Orianna stood tall, gripped the broom by its bristled head and pointed the long handle in front of her.

Kirk, unaware of the broom, walked confidently to where he imagined Orianna was. It was during his next few steps forward that he felt something stab into the area between his ribs. A momentary panic overcame him as he imagined it to be a swords metallic blade, hovering dangerously against his skin. In the darkness he was oblivious that this 'sword' was actually a long piece of shaped wood, but as his hand instinctively made to swipe it away in self defence, he figured out his blunder.

A yellow toothed smile played upon his thin lips. Reaching out and clutching the broom, Kirk pulled it forward, startling Orianna and dragging her closer to him. Orianna had intended to swing the broom at his head relentlessly, distracting him while she edged close enough to reach his body with her leg.

Knowing the advantage now belonged to him; Kirk reached out in the darkness with a lecherous hand and soon enough found the material of Orianna's tunic. Pulling the material callously towards himself, Orianna was helplessly flung against kirks filthy bulk. Landing with a sharp 'oomph', Orianna fervently started to claw and push her body off of him, but he still retained a firm hold.

Letting out a fierce curse that resulted in Kirk clicking his tongue in a chastising way, Orianna decided a different tactic was needed. Leaning all her weight against him, Orianna slammed into his body and forced him backwards until he collided with the shelves on the side wall.

The impact and the sudden shock, made kirks grasp upon Orianna go limp and he crouched forward holding his head in his hands. The pain from the collision between his head and the shelves created a searing blindness that threatened to make him fall to his knees. Orianna, seeing her chance, quickly squatted to the floor and zealously felt with her hands for the broom.

Feeling the wood touch her hand, an exhilarated confidence entered her as she stood up tall and faced Kirk in the darkness. Gripping the broom on the handle, Orianna pointed the bristled end at kirks still recoiled form.

Conjuring feelings of hate and revenge, Orianna started to wildly swing the broom about while stepping forward, making sure to use all the strength she had to whack it about.

Soon enough, it came into contact with the head of the assailant himself and being caught off guard, Kirk swung dangerously on his heels and began to veer unsteadily to one side until, at one last attempt to catch him-self before falling, Kirk twisted his body to one side. This only resulted in his head coming against the corner of Orianna's small yet hard, makeshift bed.

After the loud tumble, Orianna waited silently in the dark. Her body was beginning to tremble from the heightened fear and emotion, leading her to eventually sink to her knees.

"This is the second time in two weeks that I've nearly killed someone", she softly told herself out loud after hearing no sound from the heap on the floor.

Waiting a few more seconds, panic started to rise within her when the man still didn't move or make a sound. Fearing the worst, Orianna decided that the best thing to do would be to find Rebus. Taking one last look at the dark outline of the slumped man, she all but flung herself out of the room.

Walking room to room, hallway to hallway and wringing her hands, Orianna hoped with all her might Tavis wouldn't be the first one she found. But fate decided to be cruel and upon walking into the map room, she was met with the sight of Tavis sitting at the desk with his head in his hands.

"What?", he called out tiredly, not even bothering to look up.

Although Orianna was still slightly jumpy, she couldn't help but smile at the childlike pose Tavis was in. With his hands cupping his face and his hair fanning over his hands, Orianna suspected that she had interrupted what little rest he was allowed during the mayhem filled days.

"Something happened", admitted Orianna awkwardly to the room, she held back telling him more since she didn't quite know how to say it.

Upon hearing her voice, Tavis looked up and found the young woman gently observing him from across the room.

"What did you do now?" He asked curiously, his gaze lazily wandering over her strange clothes. He still wasn't used to seeing a woman in mans clothes, it slightly unnerved him. Looking at her now, Tavis smiled inwardly and decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. The tunic and black breeches somehow gave an unintentional womanly shape to the unaware Orianna.

Although she knew it wasn't the time or place for an argument, Orianna couldn't stop herself from rising to his taunt, not missing either the way his eyes had lingered on her body.

"One day, when we're not on this boat anymore…I swear I'll make you sorry for saying that".

"Really…How?" Tavis asked defiantly, with an edge of teasing in his tired voice.

With her wit deserting her at that precise moment, Orianna was left with no other choice but to shrug, a gesture she hoped meant '_if only you knew_'.

Tavis laughed softly and stood up from behind the desk. "Lead the way then"



Upon reaching the top of the stairs and starting the long walk across the deck, Tavis had already been informed of all the details. His mind had already started to formulate numerous ways in which to exact painful revenge upon the loathsome brute of a human being named Kirk.

Every now and again, Orianna would risk a quick glance at Tavis as they walked along in the cool dark night. As usual, his face was dark and impossible to read.

When she had told him of her broom escapade while fighting Kirk, Tavis had only shook his head at her story and called her an ingenious fiend. Not knowing whether to take it as a compliment or offence, Orianna had merely shrugged her shoulders and stayed silent for the rest of the walk.

Upon finally reaching the small box of a storeroom, Orianna let out a soft sigh and waited for Tavis to make the first move.

Tavis understood her hesitation and took the initiative to open the door. As it swung open with a dauntingly slow creak, Orianna unknowingly took a step closer to Tavis. Feeling the warmth of her body against his arm, Tavis had to restrain himself from running his hand along her skin. This reaction startled him somewhat. She was starting to get dangerously close to undermining his self control without even knowing it.

"Where's your broom when you need it", Tavis said teasingly to Orianna as he walked down the two steps leading into the room.

Orianna merely grumbled a sarcastic, "Ha...ha".

"You're not scared are you?" She asked as innocently and naively as possible

In the darkness, Orianna couldn't see Tavis' face darken in her direction.

A slight groan drew their attention away from each other and Tavis, eager to see who the man was, walked into the room with intent. Grabbing the heap on the floor by the legs and dragging him out onto the deck, Tavis instructed Orianna to find Rebus.

Not needing to be asked twice, Orianna swiftly complied, dashing skilfully across the deck and down the stairs. With her heart racing from the exertion of having to run (exercise wasn't what you'd call her favourite pastime), Orianna circled the hallways until she came upon the door she knew was Rebus' (exploration held its benefits after all).

Rapping slightly upon his door, Orianna could hear a bellow from inside the cabin repeating, "I'm coming, I'm coming, hold on would you".

Guessing that he was just getting out of bed, Orianna wanted to avoid a possible and particularly uncomfortable scenario. She had been forewarned previously, that the majority of the men onboard, tended to sleep in the 'bare minimum'.

This being the case, Orianna quickly called out, "Rebus, it's me… Orianna, Tavis needs your help".

"Well in that case, hold on a while m'dear".

A minute or so later, Rebus opened the door, fully clothed and smiling.

"So what was that you were saying?" He asked curiously.



Just as with Tavis, Orianna told Rebus all that had happened as they made their way to the store room. Rebus knew from the way Orianna kept wringing her hands and how she kept trying to walk faster, that she didn't exactly trust Tavis alone with her attacker.

Rebus wanted to ease her fears; Tavis had control over his anger, something some men _obviously_ didn't have. Clearing his throat to voice his confidence in his son, Rebus stopped short when upon reaching the deck, he saw Tavis hovering dangerously over the man on the floor.

Rebus became in an instant, the serious and commanding captain that his reputation beheld. Orianna could sense the change in Rebus and followed him cautiously as he walked sternly over to his son. Standing by his side, Rebus eyed Tavis with vigilance, something in his sons grey eyes made him look dangerous and unnatural.

"Is he awake yet?"

"No", replied Tavis, his anger calming slightly when he saw Orianna's worried expression.

"That unstable creature over there must've knocked him out cold", he remarked slyly, ignoring Rebus' frown.

Orianna, vexed slightly at his reference to her sanity, corrected him as calmly as she could

"No, he knocked himself out cold; remember".

Tavis merely nodded but a small smile crept upon his lips. "You have a habit of knocking people out don't you? First me, now him…who's next I wonder?"

Rebus, fully aware of the tension between his son and Orianna, cut in quickly.

"Now hold on you two, quarrel all you want later, but we've got more pressing matters to attend to"

As if on cue to emphasise Rebus' words, Kirk at that moment decided to slowly rouse, letting out a pain ridden retch as he did so.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us…Good evening Mr Doufelle or should I just call you Kirk, since rubbish like you doesn't deserve such a respectable tittle." Rebus said viciously to the still groaning man at his feet.



Morning had finally arrived and Orianna still felt numb and dazed as she snuggled into her blanket, glad to be back in bed at long last. The night had passed by quickly in a blur of heated words and the odd act of violence.

The loud and curse filled voice of Kirk, enhanced by anger and fear had eventually led to the awakening of practically the whole ship. Coming to see what the ruckus was about, a crowd had soon amassed around Rebus, Tavis and the man at their feet and power.

To avoid having to describe the various scenes played out throughout the night… lets just say that the need for justice was felt by all the men present. This eventually led to the majority of men taking justice into their own hands…literally.

By the time Orianna was allowed to return to her little bed in the storeroom, Kirk was barely able to stand. His sad, loathsome, limp form was then callously dragged below deck and thrown rather harshly into a small, cold and dark chamber. It was decided that at the next port the ship sailed to, would be where Kirks fate awaited him…Orianna had no problems with that.

Seeing cracks of light filter around her door, Orianna smiled contentedly in her little bed as her eyes slowly started to close and the cloak of sleep covered her whole.

* * *

Okay, I lied. I said this chapter would have romance, but the story line had other ideas, so I'm sorry. But in a way, its even better for youse since now you have one whole chapter (the next one) with romantic parts instead of two chapters with violence and romance side by side in both (it would be a bit awkward to read). 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope the confrontation with Kirk wasn't too simple (if it is, please tell me so I can rewrite it if necessary) please read and review

Thankyou to all that have reviewed, Take care and have a Good Day, Night or suchlike….


	13. Room of secret silver

I had to split this chapter in two because it was just too long. I'll wait a couple days before posting the second half…

I owe thanks to the reviewer MertleYuts for pointing out that Orianna and Tavis already did kiss in Chapter ten (that proves how much I pay attention). But don't worry, the kiss in the second half is far more evocative and fluff worthy. Enjoy….

* * *

A knock rapped gently at the storeroom's door. 

"Hey little lady, wake up", called out the ships cook when he heard no response from within the room.

Orianna only turned and groaned a muffled, "go away", into her pillow.

"I would, but I need rations for this morning's breakfast", yelled the cook impatiently but not unkindly back at her.

Peeling herself away from the covers and the warmth of the hard mattress, Orianna resignedly padded her way across the small room.

All thoughts of the night before had followed her in her dreams; every picture, scene and sound recounted itself vividly in a nightmare like grasp. Waking up from such a horrid state only resulted in her head feeling full and heavy.

Without thinking twice, Orianna unlocked the bolt and opened the door with a covered yawn. The shock of the cook was beyond description.

Facing him was the sight of a young woman, clad only in a pale satin like nightgown flowing harmlessly over her form. Orianna looked curiously at the cook and his slightly glazed over expression.

"Are you alright?"

The cook, who was only around twenty two at the time and still quite shy about women, nodded his head absently before turning abruptly on his heels and walking straight back down to his kitchen. With his head hung low and cheeks flaming crimson, he gasped in surprise when he ran into something hard. Looking up, he grew even redder before apologising bashfully to Rebus.

Rebus in turn only bowed his head in acknowledgement but questioned the young mans hastiness. The cook in turn, flustered more than Rebus thought possible before mumbling out that he had just made a fool of himself in front of a beautiful lady.

After more persuasive prodding by Rebus, the young cook bashfully admitted the _whole_ reason for his hasty retreat to the kitchen. As he told the story, Rebus listened carefully, smiling to himself when the young man described that he had unintentionally seen Orianna in quite an unexpected state of dress.

Rebus was quick to understand what the young cook meant by '_unexpected state of dress'_. Holding back a laugh and a comment about youth, Rebus gruffly dismissed the young man, but not before warning him to never again mention what he had seen.

As the cook hurriedly walked away, Rebus shook his head. He knew that as a young lad, the young cook wouldn't miss a chance to boast about his tale, adding on exaggeration when he felt it necessary.

Letting out a thoughtful 'hmmm', Rebus thought carefully as he walked along the hallways beneath the deck. It seemed like now would be the right time to try his plan…all he had to do was get Tavis to agree…something highly unlikely…unless…

Orianna's mind woke up the instant the cook had turned and ran. At first she had thought that he was slightly unstable in the head, but feeling the wind tussle at her skirts, she looked down and almost cried.

Out of all things to be seen wearing when opening a door to a man, she had to wear that particular night gown. '_No wonder he had fled in horror'_, she mused sullenly and upon realizing the door was still open, hastily shut it with a loud, "Thunk".



After the unpleasant encounter, Orianna had dressed herself quickly in a simple white tunic (corset included) and simple black breeches. The men had at first been openly surprised at her choice of clothes but had gradually accepted the change, although some still raised an eyebrow as she would walk past.

Stepping back outside, fully clothed and on her guard, Orianna cautiously walked over to the supply room.

On the ship there were two box shaped rooms on the deck. One was a storeroom for food and a few cleaning supplies, the other was for more heavy duty maintenance work.

She had been instructed the night before, after the Kirk incident, that she'd be doing cover up work with lacquer around the ship, re-covering the scratched and faded oaken panels here and there.

This was the first time Orianna had ventured into the small room, so after pushing open the creaky old door, Orianna slowly walked inside. Unlike her storeroom, this room had two windows, one on each opposite wall.

This meant that enough light had filtered in the room to allow Orianna to move around with ease. She had been instructed to look for a small wooden barrel, similar to a wine barrel but only as tall as her knee, and to also look for a horse haired brush to paint the lacquer on with.

Walking to the far end of the room in search of the elusive barrel and brush, something caught Orianna's eye. A dark outline of a door was etched upon the farthest wall. A small but curious, 'hmmm', left her lips as she edged closer….this was too intriguing to ignore.

Out of habit, Orianna quickly looked around for anyone watching before slowly creeping over to the wall in question. Placing her hands upon its cold wooden surface, she ran her fingers along the shape until she felt a small opening that just fitted two fingers.

Pulling open the door, she found to her relief that it swung open easily and silently. Glancing back quickly once again, Orianna stepped through the door and smiled as she found herself in a very, very small room, only three or four steps long to the wall facing her, filled with wooden chests and other stolen items.

This she knew instinctively was where the higher quality stolen items were placed for safe keeping. How she knew this you ask? Well, from the size and intricate detailing of each box along with the odd golden mirror or crystal encrusted jewellery box placed soundly around the compact space.

Finding her curiosity satisfied and not one prone to thievery, Orianna turned ready to leave… when she saw it. Her mouth could barely hold itself closed as she savoured the sight of a small, silver hand held mirror, laying limply against a wooden chest…her wooden chest.

A mixture of shock and relieved happiness clouded Orianna's senses as she walked over and picked up the precious item, running her fingers over its intricate design of vines and flowers. She finally had it back; she finally had her mothers mirror once again.

Holding it safely to her chest, Orianna stepped out of the room before stopping abruptly. With a dark and pained expression painted on her face, Orianna walked back into the room and placed it back in its original place.

Logic had finally appeared in her mind, reminding her that she couldn't exactly just walk out of there holding such a shining and noticeable object without getting caught. Letting out a sigh of desolation, Orianna walked out of the room and closed the small, thin door behind her.

All was not lost though; she now knew where it was and a plan had already formulated itself. '_Tonight,_' she thought to herself, '_I'll sneak back in with a lantern and hide the mirror under my corset. No one will even know its missing and no one will be out on deck to see me. It's perfect_'.

Smiling like a devilish child, Orianna once again scanned the room for the lacquer and brush. Upon finding it in the place she was sure she had looked twice before, she hoisted the materials under her arm and walked calmly and composedly out of the room.

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Rebus was a determined man. Even as a young lad, those who knew him, especially his wife (whilst still alive), never stood a chance against the powerful force that was Rebus.

Straightening his short and slightly robust figure, he walked in a way that commanded attention and demanded respect from everyone around him. Secretly Rebus knew that he would get neither of these from his stubborn and obstinate son. Nether the less, he strode through the intricate hallways of the ship as a general would with his troops before a war; proud and fearless.

The unsuspecting victim of Rebus' tirade was in the map room, deep in concentration. Tavis stood before the largest of the maps in the room; so large it almost took up the expanse of the whole wall. With its studious detail of each known land mass, the seas and everything else to be found within their world, it was perfect for Tavis' search.

A few moments before, Tavis had been rummaging through the drawers of his desk. Paper among paper was to be found there; some with maps, some official documents and some odd bits of parchment with words scribbled hastily in times of reflection.

He didn't quite know what he had intended to find but a distant memory had resurfaced in his mind, one of an important word he had once written down, intending to research it later. This obscure memory had pushed him to search through every paper and every drawer.

At last, and after making such a complete mess, Tavis had found it. It was a small parchment no bigger than the palm of his hand and written on it was a single yet mystifying word; _Casuow_.

Instinctively Tavis looked to the maps for answers. Getting out of his chair, he went to the largest map; the map most likely to be fruitful…and it was. After scouring its detailed and picturesque surface for what seemed liked ages, Tavis' eyes locked onto a somewhat elaborately written _Casuow_.

Quickly running to his desk, Tavis tore off a coloured piece of parchment and picked up a small silver pin. Returning to the map, he ran the pin through the coloured paper and marked the area where the small province of _Casuow_ was located.

Taking a few steps back, Tavis studied his efforts. A small pin with a black ribbon was already fastened to the map, showing where the ships location was in the vast expanse of ocean.

With a thoughtful glance, Tavis noted that Casuow was only a short distance from the next port the ship was supposed to dock in. As he thought to mention this to his father, a heavy knock announced that very man to the room.

As Rebus strode in, Tavis automatically knew what was coming…an argument. Rebus, filled with determination, walked over to the oaken desk and sat his bulk on its sturdy edge. Tavis watched his father with curiosity. He sure knew how to make his presence felt.

Rebus cleared his throat.

"Just this once, I need you to agree with me", he said bluntly, deciding that a direct approach would be the most likely to work.

Tavis was suspicious to say the least. "I'm listening"

Rebus prepared himself by taking a deep breath. He had to handle his next words carefully. "I need your help"

A slightly unsure laugh escaped Tavis. "That's a first"

"Oh hush up", Rebus said in a huff before shuffling himself more comfortably upon the desk. "I need your help protecting the girl".

Tavis started to slowly pace around the room, keeping Rebus' gaze at all times. "Haven't we helped enough? She has a safe room every night, she's well fed and looked after, what else is there for us to do?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it", Rebus said gently yet scoldingly.

Tavis nodded his head slightly. "I know, but for some reason I have a feeling that I won't like where you're heading".

Rebus tried in vain to hide a smile before becoming serious once more. "We have to figure out a way to make it seem that Orianna belongs to you".

Tavis looked at Rebus disbelievingly. "Belongs to me? She's not some pet or item to be owned. Don't you think she'll have something to say about it?"

Rebus shook his head impatiently. "You make it sound worse than it is. All I'm saying is that you need to do something, even only once in front of the crew to show that you two are…well, that you two are together."

"Together…together", Tavis repeated defensively.

Rebus, against all his attempts to prevent it, started to laugh, causing Tavis to stare at him wide eyed and confused. Rebus slowly started to calm down, but a gentle chuckle still escaped every now and again.

"I've never known a man in my life that would even consider for a minute, giving up an opportunity like this"

"It's not that", Tavis said, running his hand through his dark hair in an act of frustration. He didn't know how to explain his hesitation to his father…or to himself for that matter.

For some reason, his instincts told him that the more time spent with the woman, the harder it would be to stay away from her.

"Is there no other option?" He asked hopefully although already knowing the answer.

Rebus shook his head. He couldn't for the life of him understand his son's reluctance. "It's the only way that the men will stay away from her. She's beautiful and outnumbered by more men then I have fingers and toes.

If you haven't already noticed, the men are wary of you and your position. As the captains' son, your next in line as their captain…if they cross you now then they'd have to worry once you take over."

"I told you once before, I'm not taking over", Tavis said curtly and he meant it.

Tavis had never intended to become an 'entrepreneur' as his father called it…he fell into it for one reason and one reason only. He needed his fathers help to find whatever killed his mother years back.

Tavis was raised solely by his mother…._how do you mean, you ask? Well let me explain…_

Rebus was born and bred a pirate… 'Scoundrels of the sea', as those men were commonly known. Rebus, during a stop over in a distant port, had by the work of fate, fallen completely and hopelessly in love with a lady named Marian.

Turning his back on his old life as a buccaneer, Rebus had married this lady, Tavis' mother, and even settled into normal life for a couple of years.

But that was not to last for you see; his old ship and crew had one night decided to dock once again into that specific town. Rebus was torn…his old life was a temptation too much to resist but on the other hand he had a family that he loved.

After much conflict within himself, it was his wife who made the decision. She told him to go. With much regret and sorrow, Rebus left with his old crew, promising to return in a few months…but months turned into years and years turned into…well, a long time.

While growing up, Tavis didn't think a second thought about his father until the fateful night of his mother's death. He was twenty one at the time and had a deep need for answers and revenge. The only way he could find the mysterious creature that stole his mothers life was with his fathers help.

Somewhat reluctantly, Tavis spent the next few years trying to track Rebus down. Travelling port to port, town to town, he searched and he waited patiently until one day he found him.

Their meeting wasn't exactly warm, especially on Tavis' part, but the purpose in Tavis for revenge was enough to convince Rebus to help his son…after all, he owed Tavis for all those missing years.

Back to the present, Rebus was trying his hardest to not shake his son; Tavis' stubbornness was only equal to his determination.

"Face it kid, you've got rogue in your blood. The sea will always beckon you and the lure of adventure will always haunt you. You can't escape it".

Tavis could feel the anger grow within him… "Watch me", was all he said and with that, Tavis turned his back to his father in a symbolic gesture and walked away, out of the room. Rebus sat for a few moments watching his sons retreating form, a pained expression sketched openly across his face.

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Hope you liked it. Please review and the other half is going to be posted soon.. 


	14. A kiss is just a kiss

First things first, let me apologize. I know a couple of days turned into a couple of weeks and I'm sorry (Looks shamefully at the floor). The main reason it took so long apart from school taking up nearly all of my time, was that I kept on changing the kiss scene. I wanted to make it as good as I could and of course, it was never good enough. I hope you do enjoy this chapter and I hope I handled it okay. Thankyou to all the gorgeous, stunning, brilliant, people who have reviewed, please keep doing so because I always need the help.

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Walking through the hallways an hour after his somewhat harsh conversation with Rebus, Tavis took in a deep breath to calm himself down, not from anger but from anticipation. Thinking back on his fathers joke about his unwillingness towards Orianna, Tavis couldn't help but laugh bitterly at himself. He had never faced a problem with women, far from it.

During his twenty four years, Tavis had learned how to use his roguish looks and charm to seduce a young woman. With his eyes, he knew he could catch their attention, with his smile he knew he could make them smile back. With most of the women it only took a few words of flattery and a few actions of subtle seduction to peak their interest. Throughout all this, Tavis always made sure to keep himself distanced from the women, making sure to remain indifferent, that is, emotionally indifferent, not physically.

"Then why", mumbled Tavis quietly to himself, "Am I suddenly… nervous to do something I've done many a time before? It's a kiss, a simple, simple kiss…nothing more".

As he walked up the stairs, Tavis silently cursed his father. Guilt was an amazing gift given to parents to use on their children.

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Leaning back on her knees, Orianna concentrated on getting the thick syrupy lacquer into every edge, corner and crevice of the hand rails. The hand rails were used on the stairs leading up to the elevated deck on either side of the ship.

Orianna huffed indignantly when the horse haired brush flicked off the wood and sent loose a few droplets of lacquer onto her arm.

Setting down the brush, Orianna licked her finger slightly and tried without much success to remove the obstinate stains. Shaking her head grimly, Orianna inclined her face towards the warm sun. Letting the warmth slowly and gently caress her skin, she opened her eyes. The sky was flawless; clear and wonderfully blue.

She needed a rest from lacquering; her arms were starting to tingle with a mixed sensation of pain and exhaustion. Putting aside her lacquer barrel and horse haired brush, Orianna feebly got to her feet and walked over to the side of the ship.

Taking one inspecting glance at the ocean, Orianna studied its rough and dark surface. The woozy effect of the oceans erratic movements caused Orianna to turn herself away. Taking in a deep breath to calm the shaky feeling in her head, she then pressed her back against the ships wooden wall and slid down into a sitting position.

With the warmth of the sun on her body and the cooling breeze from the ocean, Orianna sat happily and contentedly.

Letting her eyes run over the deck, Orianna watched as the many men on deck drifted about, carrying out their daily tasks.

Orianna watched two men clean and scour the rough surface of the deck, the brooms and brushes held tightly within their calloused hands.

Looking elsewhere she saw others building or fixing things here and there, their tanned and gently shaped muscles in plain view. Orianna had to continually remind herself to blink.

Forcing her eyes away from the entrancing sight, she by chance looked towards the stairs leading below deck.

Tavis had just reached the top of the last step and Orianna tried to look as inconspicuous as possible as she watched him. With a dark scowl on his handsome face, Orianna noticed that he was searching for something or someone.

Her eyes followed him as he walked to one end of the ship and back again to the other side. He kept his eyes fixed on searching through the mass of people on the deck, until finally he stopped a passing workman and asked him something.

Orianna watched anxiously as the man turned and pointed straight at her.

Tavis, following the man's direction, turned his eyes and locked them straight with Orianna's.

"Oh no", muttered Orianna quietly to herself, her hands clasped together in cautious anticipation.

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Rebus made his way up onto the deck. He knew his son wouldn't disobey his request for the young woman, so it was only a matter of time until his plan was carried out. Upon reaching the deck and seeing Tavis striding over to a seated Orianna, Rebus let out a cheerful chuckle. He was curious as to how the young woman would react to his sons' advances.

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Tavis strolled calmly over to Orianna, stopping only a few feet away from her. With a hesitant gesture, he beckoned for her to stand.

Orianna narrowed her eyes suspiciously but complied nevertheless. Standing up, she straightened her tunic and dusted the dirt off her pants.

Happy that she didn't look a complete mess, Orianna looked at Tavis who, she noted with some annoyance, was looking intently at the ocean behind her.

"What do you want?" She asked as politely as she could, although there was still a hint of distrust in her voice.

Her question seemed to break through the troubled air around Tavis, causing his gaze to finally meet hers.

With a sardonic smile, Tavis reached out and gently grasped Orianna's left wrist.

The look on Orianna's face openly showed her surprise, as did the blush that was slowly creeping up her neck.

"I need you to help me with something," Tavis said before he caught sight of her heated cheeks and shook his head condemningly.

"Why do most females blush at the slightest touch of a male? It is only my hand, not my lips that are upon your skin".

Gaining back her composure, Orianna threw Tavis a cynical look.

"It was the surprise of it that made me blush, not the action itself. Sometimes I think you give yourself and your gender too much credit".

"So I should warn you next time?" Tavis asked coyly.

Orianna didn't reply but looked down to where his skin touched hers.

She felt a slight tingle make its way up her arm. Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable from the reaction, she looked Tavis in the eyes with a questioning glance. Tavis was well aware of the effect her touch had on his skin, but chose to ignore it.

"Since I doubt that my arm can be of any use to you and the 'help' you claim to need, could you please let it go?" Asked Orianna, already trying to dislodge her wrist from his unremitting yet gentle grip

Tavis shook his head sincerely before adding a pert, "No".

Orianna scowled. Not only didn't she know what was going on, but Tavis was being intentionally vague with her.

Quickly glancing around, Tavis noticed that he and Orianna had the attention of most of the men on deck. Generally the crew tried to look subtle as they watched, but some openly stared, fascinated with what was happening.

Sighing gently, Tavis looked at Orianna. He tried to restrain a smile when he saw the look she had directed at his hand; 'murderous intent', would be the best way to describe it.

"I won't let go," Tavis said matter-of-factly.

Orianna sighed edgily, still keeping her eyes on their touching skin.

"So what do you want me to do?"

Truth be told, Tavis could thing of quite a few things he wanted to do with her, but deciding that she would probably skin him alive if he said any out loud, he settled for the safest answer.

"I'm going to kiss you now".

"Hmm?" was all she said. Her mind didn't seem to comprehend what her ears had heard.

Tavis smiled mischievously at her reply. "Instead of repeating myself, how about I just show you".

Reaching out with his hand and encircling her waist, Tavis pulled Orianna roughly into his arms. Before she had a chance to fight back, he lowered his lips until they met hers.

Caught off guard, Orianna started to pull away. Her mind was trying to resist but her body was plainly ignoring her demand.

Feeling her resistance, Tavis without thinking, pulled her closer and deepened his kiss.

When Orianna felt herself react to the force and intensity of his kiss, a fierce shiver ran through her body. She unconsciously pressed herself up against him.

Tavis' lips left Orianna's and trailed along her jaw until his lips started to caress the smooth skin on her neck. Running her nimble fingers through his dark hair, she sighed as Tavis started to ascend back to her lips, nipping gently at her skin with his teeth as he did so.

During this time, some awareness had returned to Orianna. She became aware of her wildly beating heart; she felt the cold ocean air tug at her tunic, but one thing in particular brought her back into reality; The silence around her.

Noticing the unusual quietness, Orianna opened her eyes rather hesitantly and saw, with quite some embarrassment, that most of the men had their eyes firmly placed on her.

Unknown to her, many of the men were secretly wishing they were Tavis, if only for that one moment.

With humiliation gaining the upper hand, Orianna hastily pushed herself out of Tavis' strong grasp. When he finally let her go, Orianna took a step back, trying to distance herself from him and at the same time, trying to gain some much needed composure.

Orianna was surprised at her body's response. Not only did she feel strangely breathless, but her blood felt as though it was on fire.

Daring to meet his gaze, Orianna was comforted to know that he looked just as confused as she.

Opening her mouth to say something, she stopped short, not knowing what to say. With her cheeks once again burning, Orianna quickly looked away while Tavis ran a hand through his hair.

It was at this point that a long wolf like whistle broke through the tension filled silence. It was followed by a series of muffled laughs and Orianna could swear she heard one of the men call out, "Well don't you move fast mate".

Emotions have a way of being unpredictable so it was no surprise that Orianna's embarrassment soon turned to anger. Narrowing her eyes, she turned back to face Tavis, only to find him already walking away.

Orianna scowled slightly at his retreating form as he headed towards the steps to go below deck. Tempted to walk over to him and box his ears for being so mysterious, she was surprised when Tavis turned in her direction and whispered, "Follow me".

Orianna hesitated for a moment. Her stubborn pride told her to ignore him, yet her curiosity as always, nudged her on. Shrugging her shoulders and trying to pay no attention to the many eyes still on her, Orianna followed doubtfully in Tavis' path.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Tavis led her down the stairs and along the hallway. Neither of them dared to speak. This intentional silence suited Orianna fine, leaving her time to sort through her tangled thoughts.

They kept walking until Tavis stopped at a doorway. Twisting its handle downwards and pushing it open with a heavy creak, he walked inside and Orianna followed unquestioningly.

The map room had a way of making its occupants feel at ease. Its heavily adorned walls gave the room an intimate and relaxed feeling while its thick, noise resistant foundations gave absolute privacy to those inside.

Tavis walked over to his desk and leaned against its side. He motioned for her to close the door behind her and Orianna did so before walking over a small chair in the corner of the room.

Sitting down in the chairs plush and cushioned embrace, Orianna straightened her back and settled her eyes bravely on Tavis.

"I think I should explain," Tavis said, not daring to meet Orianna's curious gaze.

The kiss had affected him more than he'd admit and now, alone in the same room as the woman, well lets just say, his body was going against his mind, yearning for the feel of her again.

Orianna still stayed silent, her heart pounding with nervousness while her eyes daringly studied Tavis. The only reason she did so was because Tavis currently had his attention focused on a map hanging on the opposite wall.

Taking this opportunity, Orianna let her eyes run over him. His dark hair was, as usual, dishevelled and unkempt.

His white tunic unbuttoned slightly at the top, revealed beautifully tanned skin, but it was his face that always seemed to catch her attention.

He had a strong and truthful look about him, a look that told a person he could be trusted, even though he was a rogue of the sea. Although Orianna would never admit it, even to herself, she was undeniably attracted to him.

"Do you mean what happened up there was done for a reason?" Orianna asked softly, hoping for some strange reason, that he'd deny it.

"Of course," Tavis said aloofly and instantly regretted it. He saw a shadow pass over Orianna's gentle face and watched it disappear just as fast. That small change in her had caught his attention.

"I had a feeling it was," Orianna said untruthfully, her confident voice masking the uneasiness she really felt. The kiss had apparently affected her more than him.

Realizing this, Orianna smiled sadly to herself. '_That's the way it always goes doesn't it? I imagine one thing while the truth tends to be another'_.

"I guess I should start from the beginning," Tavis said, finally looking into Orianna's eyes.

Her innocent gaze lured him back to thoughts of the intoxicating kiss; he really was letting his guard down around her, and he honestly didn't like it one bit.

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Closing the door behind her and walking back up to the deck, Orianna laughed at herself. What had she expected? That Tavis was attracted to her enough to sweep her into his arms, and kiss her just for the reason that he wanted her?

"No," Orianna said aloud, a hint of anger in her voice, "It was all for my 'protection'"

Tavis had explained it all: Rebus coming up with the idea and then forcing his son to carry it out. Not only did Tavis say, 'forced', but he then did something that made Orianna want to cry. He apologized.

She didn't know why but she always imagined that a kiss like that didn't deserve an apology, a thankyou maybe, but not an apology.

That last thought made Orianna stop motionless on the steps; a realization had just hit her full force.

"I didn't, I couldn't have", Orianna pleaded to herself. "Please tell me I didn't actually say that to him".

No matter how much she pleaded, Orianna knew the truth. She remembered having declared that last statement, word for word, to him just before she got up and walked out of the room.

A deep scarlet blush crept over her cheeks making her face feel hot. No wonder Tavis had looked at her strangely as she closed the door.

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So…..what did you think? 


	15. The road unknown

Finally, an update (I apologize for how long it took). Just to let you know, this chapter continues straight from the previous...so this scene happens on the same day but during the night...Enjoy

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Orianna quietly pushed open the door of her storeroom and slowly crept out into the uncommonly warm and dark night. 

Since it was around midnight, she was somewhat confident that she could carry out her scheme unnoticed and unhindered by anyone.

Held tightly within her hands was a small lighted oil lamp, procured secretly earlier in the day from the ships kitchen.

With a deep breath taken for confidence, Orianna slowly but guardedly walked across the oaken deck, making sure to balance her weight evenly on each foot, lest she make the floorboards creak.

Successfully making it halfway across, impatience got the better of her and she quickly but softly scampered the rest of the way to the second storage room.

Grasping in her hand the cold metallic door handle, she quickly looked around before pushing downwards and gently swinging the door open. Holding the lamp in front as she entered, Orianna slowly closed the door behind her.

Making her way warily to the far wall of the storeroom, she stopped in front of the slyly hidden door. Reaching out with her hand and sliding it over the rough surface, she soon found the small hole used as an improvised doorhandle.

Pushing open the door, she winced slightly as it creaked rather loudly. Praying that no one was awake to hear the noise, she shook her head disbelievingly, "I really am crazy for doing this."

Stepping into the uncomfortably small room, she used the little but bright radiance from the oil lamp to find her wooden chest. Moving closer to the cubed object, she placed the lamp carefully beside it on the floor and knelt down.

Running her fingers idly over its smooth edges, Orianna then unfastened the leather strap, used as a practical lock, and lifted up the lid. Inside the box was nothing spectacular, only a few items of clothing, a pair of lace shoes, and an ivory crested comb along with other insignificant bits and pieces.

She wasn't concerned about leaving the wooden chest in the hands of the pirates since nothing of value, personal or otherwise, could be found within. Her mirror on the other hand, was a different story.

Closing the lid of the box, she then turned her attentions to the object in question. Lying modestly upon the floor, the silver gilded mirror made Orianna's chest tighten with emotion. Not only did it remind her of her mother but also of home.

For the past few weeks, she had tried her best to block out memories of her father but lately they were becoming more frequent and more affecting. She tried in vain to forget the way in which she left home; like a common thief in the night, leaving only a simple and very vague letter behind.

She could only imagine what happened after she ran away.

Her mind had played out the scenes numerous times and it always went the same way: _Her father would've woken up to an empty and silent house. Fretting and fear stricken he would then stumble across the letter. Opening the envelope with trembling hands he would read her feeble excuse for leaving._

_After trying again and again to understand her reasons for going, he would then pass each day and each week in fear for his daughters safety, waiting for the day she would come back home…praying that she did come back home…_

Picking up the cold gleaming object in her hands, Orianna hugged it to her chest while attempting to wipe away a runaway tear off her cheek with her shoulder.

Letting out a sigh, she knew she had to get back to her small dismal storeroom…the longer she stalled the higher the chance she'd have of being discovered.

Lifting herself up off her knees and picking up the small oil lamp, Orianna frowned. She needed somewhere practical to hide the mirror incase she came across anyone in the small distance between the two storerooms.

Deciding against putting the mirror in her breeches because, A) the pants were too tight and, B) the mirror was too large, she then went for the next best option- down her corset under her white tunic.

After a few moments of struggle and a bit of adjustment, she was satisfied with the result. Unless someone leered at her chest or stood too close, then the mirror was fairly unnoticeable.

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Stepping back out into the dark night and closing the door softly behind her, Orianna looked around for any witnesses. She knew she wasn't doing anything wrong, but it would be near impossible for her to explain why she was sneaking out of the cargo room, at night and with a mirror down her corset.

Turning a small knob on the base of the oil lamp, she watched as the flame slowly disappeared. Looking around once more, she was about to begin her sprint across the deck to her storeroom when a familiar voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Going somewhere?"

She gasped in fright and staggered back slightly. Tavis didn't wait for her reply before repeating his question again, this time with more force and suspicion.

Orianna stammered slightly before regaining her composure. Out of all the people to discover her, it had to Tavis. 'Typical, just typical,' she repeated silently to herself.

With her chin held up defiantly, she answered him while trying pathetically to hide the fear in her voice.

"Yes, back to my room. I needed to stretch my legs so I went for a walk. Now I'm tired so I'm going back to my room, so if you'd excuse me…"

Tavis chuckled slightly, deciding to corner her into a confession. "Not so fast".

He took a step out of the shadows and stood in front of Orianna, blocking her way. "Trying to run from the scene of the crime are you? Since when does a walk include breaking into the supply room?"

She had to admit he made a very good point. Lost for a reply, she said the first thing that came to mind.

"The door was open so I went in to check if everything was alright"

Tavis looked unconvinced. Only he, his father and the third man in command of the ship knew what precious items were hidden in the storeroom.

The only motive he could see for her to be sneaking in and out of there, in the middle of the night no less was because she was nothing but a common thief.

"Ah, now I see, keeping watch are you? Making sure everything is in order?"

Orianna narrowed her eyes at him. She knew he saw through her excuses, but what unsettled her most, was that he was purposely toying with the situation…she didn't like it one bit.

"Fine, I give up. I snuck inside the supply room, nothing more."

Tavis was slightly taken aback by her frankness, he had expected her to deny everything and to some extent, play slow.

"And why may I ask, were you in there?"

Deciding reserved truth to be the easiest option, she replied, "To look for something."

"And…." He prodded

Orianna shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "And… I found it, but contrary to what you may think, I'm not a thief, I only take what rightfully belongs to me."

Tavis was confused and it troubled him slightly. "And what do we have in our possession that belongs to you?"

She smoothed down her tunic in an act of awkwardness. "I was looking for my box"

"Box?" he asked curiously.

"When you raided Royal Avenue, one of your men stole a wooden chest from my room. I came across the secret door this morning while cleaning. Being curious, I walked inside and low and behold, my box was just sitting there.

"I decided to come back for it later on, but when I finally had the chance to take it, I realized I wouldn't be able to hide it for long in my little storeroom, so I decided to leave it where it was." Although most of it was the truth, she decided to add in the last bit to make her motive seem less suspicious.

"Why risk getting caught?" he asked, slightly intrigued.

Once again, Orianna shrugged her shoulders. "Why else, it's my box…mine, my own and no one else's"

Tavis smiled playfully. "That's where you're wrong"

"Really now, care to explain?" she queried sceptically.

Strangely relieved at finding her innocent, Tavis leaned casually against the wall of the storeroom with his arms crossed. "It's in our possession now and that means that everything within it is also our possession, including whatever it is you've hidden down your shirt."

Looking down, she cursed her luck when she saw the top half of the gleaming mirror peeking out over the top of her shirt.

With her mind suddenly devoid of any thought or excuse, Orianna went stone still. Seeing the change in her countenance, Tavis decided to have a little fun. Leaning forward so his lips were beside her ear, he whispered with a suddenly husky voice, "Next time, I'd try to hide it somewhere a man doesn't look"

Despite becoming slightly short of breath when she felt his body almost against hers, Orianna didn't try to hide the defiance now settled in her eyes.

"This belongs to me. You can have whatever is in that box, but this mirror…I would kill for"

Slightly amazed at her passionate outburst, Tavis searched her face with open fascination.

"Pray tell, what makes it so important that you feel the need to defend it so ardently"

"It's precious, that's all. This mirror belonged to…its something that..." Her words faltered until she stopped silent.

She could feel emotion surge through her body and stop right behind her eyes, making her nose tingle.

Reluctantly looking up to meet Tavis' eyes, Orianna found him staring intently back.

Shying away from such an intent stare, she made to move away when he stopped her with a hand lightly placed on her waist.

"Don't"

Surprised at his comment, Orianna looked at him with confusion.

"Why not?" she asked genuinely confused.

"Because," was all he said before he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently but deeply.

She had no chance to resist; her body was blatantly ignoring her minds instructions to not respond.

The last temptation came when Tavis gently pushed her against the wall and slid his arm around the small of her back, pulling her closer. She was lost.

This time it was Tavis who broke the kiss, startling her into reality. Still having her face cupped in one hand, he seductively ran his thumb along her bottom lip before stepping back from her.

Running his hand through his dark hair, he looked guiltily at a silent but hazy eyed Orianna.

"Couldn't resist"

Still a bit stunned and somewhat angry at her body's reaction, Orianna frowned at him

Catching her look, Tavis remarked with a trademark smirk, "What, you didn't like it? I could try again if you'd like"

Although she tried to hide it, a smile soon spread across her lips.

"Rogue," was all she said. A few moments of easy silence fell between them before Orianna saw her exit. Whispering a simple, 'Goodnight', she walked calmly past him and back to her storeroom, leaving a grinning Tavis behind

If she had listened to her heart, she would have risen to his challenge but she knew if she stayed longer, she would've gotten more than a kiss from the infuriatingly handsome scoundrel.

But in fear of losing more than her heart to a man who would forget who she was once they reached the next port, Orianna decided to at least walk away with her pride…and the mirror of course.

* * *

One week had already passed since Orianna had learnt that they were near land. From what Rebus had told her, they were sailing around the southern regions of Evatus and in all likelihood they would be making port in two days time. 

As she walked around the deck of the ship while taking a break from mopping, she could swear she saw little clumps of mountains in the far, far distance. This morsel of hope made her impatient to get onto land, to finally start what she had come to do….

Reluctantly turning her back to the sea and leaning against the ships wall, Orianna watched the crew as they went about their various tasks of work.

Rebus' plan seemed to have worked since most of the men tried their best to look or talk to anything but her. Although she didn't mind only having herself as company for a few days, once a week had passed she couldn't take it any longer.

She had tried her best to start up a discussion or two with some of the men, but it seemed that the fear of their captain and his son was crippling to their courage.

As she sat watching, the catalyst for all the strange behaviour walked past, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Since that impulsive kiss seven nights before, Tavis -much to Orianna's frustration and confusion- had intentionally kept his distance from her. Unknown to her, he had his reasons.

Through the years Tavis made sure to always have control and self restraint around women, choosing to take what was offered but never to seek for it.

Orianna had made him reckless, something he tried never to be. With her he found himself wanting, not only her lips but all of her…and it disturbed him.

After that kiss, he understood what he had to do...he had to keep away from the woman. It wasn't a personal choice that he did this, but instead he was in an odd way looking out for her.

No matter what arguments he put up against his father, Tavis knew deep down that he would eventually follow in his footsteps. To be a pirate meant a hard life, often in danger and never in one place for long. The sea was their life and ultimate downfall…Tavis feared it would soon become his.

From the beginning, he knew that Orianna would be a weakness. He knew that if he got to hold her even just once, he would probably never let go (although he tried in vain to pretend otherwise). If that were the case, she'd be a ruined woman.

While pirates were romanticised as the rugged, dangerous heroes they weren't, it wasn't a life that suited an attachment.

In order to protect her from the hurt she would receive when she realised that fact, Tavis had to stop whatever was happening now from going any further…he had to stop himself from wanting her.

As Orianna stood watching his retreating form, she felt troubled. Although she tried to convince herself otherwise, she felt hurt by his coldness. All her life she had been overlooked by the men of her village, seen as nothing more than a pretty face with a shadowy family…someone no one dared go near. She had grown used to being alone and unseen, preferring her own company… until now.

Sighing gently, she shook those thoughts out of her head. She was just being foolish. He felt nothing for her and she…she was only acting like a young child, imaging something that wasn't there.

Returning dutifully to her wretched mop, Orianna tried to turn her thoughts back onto a more encouraging subject. Dipping the haggard mop into the rusting bucket, she let herself be carried away by thoughts of where she would go and what would happen to her once she reached Evatus and then Idala.



It was early evening when an irate looking Rebus skulked across the deck. With his leather bound shoes pounding heavily upon the floorboards, he thundered his way up to the observation platform.

Pulling out a small telescope from his breast pocket, he pointed it out towards land, pressed it to his eye and squinted through the lense. After a few minutes of deliberation, Rebus pulled the telescope away, calmly placed it back in his lapel and turned to face the deck.

"We should be passing the outskirts of the city now. What happened?" he bellowed out to everyone and no one in particular at the same time

Absolute silence was his reply from those on the deck, Orianna included. Although she had no clue of what he was talking about, she didn't hold back asking in a faltering voice, "Do you need some help?"

About to snarl a biting reply at the question, Rebus' temper softened when he realized who had spoken.

"No m'dear, not unless you seem to know why we are further out to sea than we're supposed to be"

Orianna smiled politely and started to turn away, knowing when she wasn't needed or wanted. And anyway, she had a job to resume and hopefully finish soon. She was currently twining together the ships weary ropes and it was taking much longer than expected.

As she walked a few steps, Rebus' voice called her back. Turning and facing him with a questioning glance she implored for him to continue.

"There is actually something you can do for me m'dear," he said. "Go down to the map room and near the desk is a small chest of drawers. In the topmost drawer you will find a piece of parchment with a white ribbon holding it together. Bring that document to me, if you would"

Accepting his request with a nod of her head, she turned and made her way across the deck, down the stairs and through the hallways.

Humming softly to herself, Orianna was deep in thought when she opened the door and walked directly into the map room.

With her eyes vaguely aware of the room, she only saw what she needed to see and walked over to a shoulder-high cabinet of drawers, not noticing the presence of someone else in the room.

Sitting quietly at his desk, Tavis didn't move or say a word as she looked carefully inside the top drawer, biting her lip in concentration. Putting down his quill, Tavis leaned back in his chair and watched her carefully, a small smile playing on his lips.

With a sigh of frustration, Orianna frowned at the contents of the drawer. Nowhere could she find a scroll, no less a scroll with a white ribbon.

Thinking that Rebus might've been mistaken as to where he placed the scroll, she tried to think where else it could be.

Letting her gaze roam round the room, she no sooner settled her eyes upon the desk when she realised the person looking intently back at her.

"Tavis," she said taken aback

"Orianna," he greeted back, keeping her gaze level with his

* * *

To whoever is still reading this far into the story, I owe you a BIG thankyou. Lately I seem to have no time at all to do anything; instead it's all focused on school… my big exams are only three weeks away (I don't deal with stress well, I procrastinate more than I do work). 

The story is finally starting to move along and next chapter you should be happy to know they finally arrive in Evatus….

Thankyou to everyone that's reviewed I owe you a BIG thankyou, especially to those that drop me their ideas. If there are any questions or loose ends you need me to clear up just ask and I'll do my best…Enjoy


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